India, June 26 -- The Indian Army's Cheetal helicopters have kept flying daily sorties over Ladakh's high passes and the Siachen glacier even as investigators probe a suspected transmission failure that may have brought one of them down near Leh's Tangtse on May 20. Two pilots and a Major General survived with minor injuries.

HT reported on Friday that officials say the Army will identify the exact component before corrective steps are ordered.

The crash and the decision to keep the rest of the fleet airborne through the inquiry appears to be an extension of a dilemma that has shadowed the forces for decades.

India's Cheetah, Chetak and Cheetal helicopters - ageing and due to be replaced for decades, remain the mainstay of forces' obse...