New Delhi, April 5 -- The emergency floats of a Pawan Hans helicopter were not armed when it crash-landed into the sea near Mayabunder in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on February 24, killing one passenger, according to a preliminary report released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Saturday.

The helicopter, an Airbus AS365N3 registered as VT-PHY, was operating the Sri Vijaya Puram-Rangat-Mayabunder-Rangat-Sri Vijaya Puram sector carrying 10 passengers, including eight adults and two infants. Five passengers were bound for Rangat, and the remaining five - four adults and one infant - for Mayabunder.

"The floats were not armed in the cockpit during the approach although the same is required by the Standard Operati...