Indian coast guard officers have retrieved the ‘Dhruv’ helicopter based in Maldives’ southernmost Addu City for maintenance.

The Times of India cited Indian authorities to report that the helicopter was retrieved on Saturday and transported aboard a vessel operated by their coast guard.

According to Indian authorities, one of their coast guard ships is in the Maldives for a joint patrol of the local ‘exclusive economic zone’ with the Maldives National Defence Force.

India says that the coast guard ship had transported into the Maldives another Advanced Light Helicopter to replace the one retrieved for maintenance.

The helicopter is one of two such rotorcrafts developed by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and gifted to the Maldives National Defence Force to be used for local operations.

The Dhruv based in Addu City was gifted in 2010 while a second helicopter was gifted in 2013. Indian officers operate the rotorcrafts, which are primarily used for emergency transport and evacuation.