The bird, a Sanderling, was photographed by G Thikanna, an assistant sub-inspector with the Andaman Police, during a posting on the island. Mumbai-based ornithologist Dr Raju Kasambe said

"The helicopter took off from Sri Vijaya Puram around 8.45 am, and it crashed into the sea around 9.30 am. A preliminary inquiry revealed that there was some technical snag, and the pilot made a crash-landing on the sea," a senior civil aviation official said