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| IAF Cheetah choppers rescue 81 stranded tourists | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
NEW DELHI, Aug 9: The aircraft and helicopters of the Indian Air Force continued throughout today to airlift relief material and equipment to the flood stricken and devastated Leh Valley in Ladakh and rescue people mainly trekkers stranded at higher reaches.
A Ministry of Defence statement issued here said that as many as 81 foreign tourists trapped through their trek were rescued in a daring operation undertaken by six Cheetah helicopters of the IAF. They had to take 60 sorties to evacuate 90 people from Skyu in Zanskar valley after dawn today.
About 130 trekkers, mainly foreigners among them from 12 different countries and a few Indian porters were reportedly stranded at Skyu, a location only reachable by Cheetah helicopters owing to flight through narrow constricted valley and not negotiable by the large rotor Mi-17 helicopters. Others negotiated their way to safer places on their own.
With touchdowns not feasible at Skyu at the location that had virtually transformed into a vast dissolving island after last Friday’s cloudburst, the rescue efforts were carried out by the pilots at low hover, a challenging flight manoeuvre of keeping the flying machine stationery, perilously close to the ground even as passengers boarded rather hitched to the flight. Each Cheetah helicopter can only take in a maximum of three passengers, on board at a time.
Among the 81 foreigners rescued today included 17 each from UK and France; nine from Netherland; eight from Czechoslovakia; seven from Germany; four each from Israel Switzerland and, Romania; three each from Austria, Australia, and Italy; and two from Spain. Six local guides and three porters were also among those evacuated.
Three IL-76 sorties also airlifted two JCB (excavators) and one 22-ton Bulldozer apart from six ton load of BSNL equipment and 10 ton load of Army’s communication equipment including cables from Chandigarh.
Six AN-32 aircraft also flew air maintenance sorties from Chandigarh replenishing stocks and relief materials for the Army in the region. The IAF aircraft earlier on Sunday had already airlifted medical equipment, medicines and paramedical personnel to Leh from New Delhi and Chandigarh.
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