After a technical snag, a MI 17 Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter had to forceland in a field at Kapli village on Thursday. All seven Air Force personnel escaped with minor injuries.

The officers include Wing Commandar Jha, Wing Commander R Ranwan, Junior Warrant Officer Suresh Kumar, Sergeant M D Nikam, Sergeant M K Jaina, Sergeant Ramesh Kumar and Sergeant J Adarsh. They were taken to an Air Force hospital for treatment.

The helicopter was on its way from Gorakhpur to the IAF Gwalior base, when a technical snag developed on the outskirts of Kanpur.

Avoiding the high tension line passing through the Panki power grid station and the populated area, the pilot landed at the field.

Air Commander N K Bhoan of the Air Force Station, Kanpur, said: “It is still too early to say anything about the reason behind the mishap, but the pilot was forced to land due to a technical snag.”

A team from Flight Safety Directorate and Three Base Repair Depot, Chandigarh will investigate into the reasons behind the technical snag. “It would have taken the pilot just five minutes to fly to the Chakeri Air Force Station, but it seems a major technical snag compelled him to land on the city outskirts,” he added.

The district authorities and senior police officials, meanwhile, rushed to the village to take stock of the situation. District Magistrate Anil Kumar Sagar said, “We will extend our required support to the Air Force authorities for the investigation.”