At last the tensed quest is coming to an end. The ministry of external affairs confirmed on May 4, 2011 that Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Dorjee Khandu has been killed in a chopper crash. The chopper crashed between Kyela and Lobothang near Tawang district.
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Three bodies were sighted along with wreckage of an aircraft at a place on the path the helicopter carrying Dorjee Khandu and four others had taken. "They have sighted three bodies. This sighting has been made from a height. They have not been able to go down to the place where the aircraft is (lying) crashed. The message has been given to the nearest Army post which is sending a team," S. M. Krishna had told reporters. There were about 3,500 personnel deployed in the search operations.
On May 4th morning, search operation for missing helicopter carrying Khandu focussed on in three areas along Indo-Bhutan border. "Based on inputs received from the ISRO satellite and the Sukhoi-30 aircraft, as well as information provided by some local people, the search operations are now going inNagar GG, District Tawang; immediate south of Sela Pass known as Eagle's Nest Reserve Forest and district Phangrong in Bhutan", said home ministry joint secretary Sambhu Singh. The Government of Bhutan has also deployed search teams on its side of the border.
The Pawan Hans AS350 B-3 helicopter carrying the chief minister took off from Tawang at 9.50 am on April 30. The last radio contact with the ground was about 20 minutes after take off as it flew over the Sela Pass along the Chinese border perched at an altitude of 13,700 feet.