London:
The body of an Indian-origin Royal Air Force (RAF) intelligence officer killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan was today flown back home to the United Kingdom.
Flight Lieutenant Rakesh Chauhan, 29, was among five service personnel, aboard a Lynx helicopter that came down in the Takhta Pul district of Kandahar, nearly 50 kilometres from the Pakistan border, on April 26.
All five were killed in the crash, into which an investigation remains underway.
An aircraft carrying the bodies of Chauhan and his colleague from the Intelligence Corp, Lance Corporal Oliver Thomas, as well as Captain Thomas Clarke, Warrant Officer Class 2 Spencer Faulkner and Corporal James Walters from the Army Air Corps landed at RAF Brize Norton.
A ceremony was held at the airbase in Oxfordshire before the cortege passed the Memorial Garden in Carterton on its way
to John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.
Businessman Kishor Chauhan paid tribute to his son: "He was extremely patriotic and proud to be serving and fighting for his country. He was so committed."
"He threw himself into challenges, not leaving anything to chance. He has been passionate about joining the RAF since he was 11," his father added.
Known as Rak, the Birmingham-born intelligence officer was a graduate of St. Andrews University in Scotland where Prince William, also a former RAF officer, met his wife Kate Middleton.
Rakesh was due home in Leicester from his third tour this week.
The UK ministry of defence (MoD) has said the crash appeared to have been a "tragic accident" which occurred during "a routine flight".
The personnel were stationed at RAF Odiham in Hampshire.
"We mourn the loss of our most capable and dedicated personnel, who served without complaint and in full understanding of the risks associated with their roles. They were fine ambassadors for their unit and for defence as a whole, and we shall not forget them," said Group Captain Richard Maddison, Station Commander at RAF Odiham.
The crash was the first fatal accident of the Afghan conflict involving a UK military helicopter and the third biggest loss of lives of British troops in a single incident in the country since the invasion in 2001.
The deaths bring the number of British forces personnel killed in the conflict in Afghanistan to 453.
NATO forces, including UK troops, are preparing to withdraw combat troops by the end of this year.
Britain currently has around 5,200 troops in the country, making it the second-largest contributor to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).