11 Trekkers Dead In Uttarakhand, Massive Air Force Rescue Ops Underway
NDTV
The Indian Air Force responded to an SOS call made by authorities on October 20 and deployed two Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) helicopters to reach Harsil - a tourist hill station in the state.
The Air Force has launched a massive rescue operation in Uttarakhand's Lamkhaga Pass at an altitude of 17,000 feet where 17 trekkers, including tourists, porters, and guides, lost their way on October 18 due to heavy snowfall and inclement weather. 11 bodies have been recovered so far from the area leading to the Lamkhaga Pass - one of the most treacherous passes connecting the Kinnaur district in Himachal Pradesh with Harsil in Uttarakhand.
The Indian Air Force responded to an SOS call made by authorities on October 20 and deployed two Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) helicopters to reach Harsil - a tourist hill station in the state.
The search and rescue began on October 20 with three personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) onboard the ALH craft at its maximum permissible altitude of 19,500 feet in the afternoon.
The next day, an ALH was airborne again at first light with State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel onboard who were finally able to locate two rescue sites. It inducted the rescue team at an altitude of 15,700 feet where four bodies were found.
