Casevac of French national from Leh

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Defence
17-August, 2018 12:41 IST
Casevac of French national from Leh

Bresson Florence and her husband Christophe were on a road trip at Leh, on motorcycles when, in an accident the 50 year old French national lady was seriously injured. She was immediately taken to an army hospital nearby and then shifted to SNM hospital at Leh where she was shifted to the ICU. Her condition was critical. Christophe suffered minor injuries.

The Embassy of France at New Delhi,placed an immediate request to evacuate the patient to Chandigarh or Delhi, for further medical care. Accordingly a C-17 Globemaster aircraft was prepared for launch with at Patient Transfer unit, a mobile ICU in itself, and enroute medicare personnel. Unfortunately the weather at Leh in the afternoon hours on 16 Aug 18 did not permit the aircraft to land.

Early morning today, a C-17 aircraft, on a routine sortie, from Chandigarh landed at Leh with the Patient Transfer Unit, to which Brensson was transferred. Simultaneously a C-130 Hercules aircraft launched from Hindon reached Leh and took off with the patient accompanied by her husband and other medicare personnel.

The evacuation of the casualtywas successfully completed at 0925 hrs when the C-130 ac landed at Palam with the patient. She was then transferred to a specialised hospital at New Delhi.

“It was an apprehensive moment for us when due weather we could not launch the aircraft last evening. Our medical fraternity was in constant touch with the doctors at Leh and at the first opportune moment both the aircraft were launched and mission executed successfully”, said the Air Officer Commanding Airforce Station Chandigarh, Air Cmde S Srinivasan AVSM VSM.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Defence
09-September, 2018 11:51 IST
Casevac At Kolahai Glacier Hills

Hazik Mushtaq Beigh and his friends were trekking in the Kolahai Glacier area when the team fell in a crevasse; two of the team were fatally injured. Hazik suffered injuries which required his immediate evacuation to a medical facility.

Western Air Command of Indian Airforce launched two Cheetah helicopters, of the Udhampur based Hovering Hawks unit who happened to be at Srinagar at that point. Two choppers were necessary due to the inhospitable terrain and the poor weather conditions in the general area of operations. The leader of Falcon formation was Wg Cdr Vishal Mehta with Flt Lt Mittal as the co-pilot. The plan was to winch the casualty into the heptr as no suitable landing site was available.

Upon reaching the site Wg Cdr Mehta realised that Hazik could not be winched due to his serious injuries, so both heptrs flew to Awantipur and removed the side doors, picked up a guide enroute from Lidru and reached the spot once again. The weather during the entire period was marginal.The elevation of the place is 12000ft which added to the piloting difficulties of the small heptr. The captain of the lead aircraft Mehta decided to find a small spot of flat land nearby and touchdown.

Having picked up Hazik both heptrs flew back to base. “The spot was such it did not offer any place to land, we had established that winching the casualty was out of question, hence only one option was left. I told my wingman to orbit overhead while I tried to land on a small flat land. The landing called upon my entire experience and training as a helicopter pilot. It was immensely satisfying when Hazik was saved” said the mission leader and captain of the lead aircraft Wg Cdr Vishal Mehta.

 

[kris]

Who paid for this evacuation?

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Defence
14-September, 2018 18:58 IST
Casevac of Critically Injured from Kisthwar

In the recent bus accident wherein a bus fell down in a gorge killing several people and critically injuring others near Kishtwar the Udhampur based Daring Dragons helicopter unit of Western Air Command provided yeoman service by evacuating eight critically injured persons to Jammu so that better medical care could be provided to them

The unit was tasked with the mission at 1100 hrs as requested by the District Commissioner, upon which they launched a MLH class of Heptr for the rescue.The aircraft was piloted by Squadron Leader MK Singh with Flight Lieutenant Mudit as co-pilot. Eight critically injured people were airlifted from Kishtwar to Jammu where they were admitted to the civil hospital. Along with the injured eight attendants for the injured were also airlifted.

ARG/BBS

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Defence
13-September, 2018 18:45 IST
Casevac of Swiss National From zanaskar Valley

Barbara de Rham and Antoine, her husband, were on a holiday, trekking the hills of Ladakh in the Zanskar valley. Barbara developed acute symptoms of “altitude sickness” which required the immediate evacuation to a place with better medical facilities. The Embassy of Switzerland at Delhi requested for her evacuation to Leh at the earliest.

The Siachen Pioneers helicopter unit of Western Air Command were tasked with the mission, since this unit, not only was the closest but,also had pilots who are experienced in flying the treacherous Zanskar valley. The valley is known for its extremely turbulent weather, especially in the afternoons and is devoid of any suitable forced landing fields.The unit immediately launched two Cheetah helicopters at 1515 hrs. Two choppers were necessary due to the inhospitable terrain and the poor weather conditions in the general area of operations. Squadron Leader SangramPatil led the mission and safely evacuated the lady and her husband to Leh Airforce station at 1615 hrs from where she was taken to the civil hospital.

“The lady displayed acute symptoms of dehydration when I checked her on landing. This could be a case of acute mountain sickness and it was best that she was evacuated to a better medical facility” said the seniormedical officer of Airforce Station Leh, SqnLdr K Anurag, who attended to the patient on landing.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Defence
24-September, 2018 12:59 IST
Rescue at Kullu

At around 1430 hrs, on 23 Sep 18, a request was received at Airforce Station Sarsawa from the State Govt of Himachal, for the rescue of personnel struck due to incessant rains at Kullu. Beas river had swelled and as a result of which small islets were formed in the river wherein people were stranded.

One MLH class of helicopter was launched from the Mighty Armour unit of Western Air Command, based at Sarsawa. The helicopter was piloted by Squadron Leader Vipul Gupta with Sqn Ldr Dhiman as the co-pilot. The helicopter reached the spot and found 19 people stranded on an islet on the swelling Beas river. The pilot brought the helicopter to a low hover and the crew helped the stranded people into the aircraft. They were then flown to the local airfield of Bhuntar.

On 24 Sep 18 two youth were spotted on another small strip of land in the river. The helicopter, which was available at Bhuntar was launched and these two person were winched up since there was no place for the heptr to land.

The helicopter and its crew have been instructed to wait at Bhuntar airstrip should any other rescue is required.

“Today restricted space, high winds speed, High tension cables and tall trees precluded the chance of landing hence we had to winch the two people. All rescued were reported to be safe and fine. We are on standby for any further requirements” said Squadron Leader Vipul Gupta.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Defence
25-September, 2018 16:05 IST
CASEVAC of German National from Pingdon La

A message about a Personal Rescue Beacon being activated close to Pingdong La was received at the Regional Coordination Centre for rescue. The signal was coded for two German nationals trekking from Ringdum to Dibling. This message was relayed immediately to Western Air Command and the Siachen Pioneers Helicopter unit based at Leh was tasked to investigate. Since it was evening and weather in the region did not permit a launch, it was decided to get airborne at day break.

Michael and his wife Annettee were trekking when they were caught in a blizzard. For two days incessant snowfall prevented any movement and by then the couples’ supplies had run out. Michael decided to activate his Personal Rescue beacon as a last resort.

Two helicopters piloted by Wg Cdr Dey and Wg Cdr Pradhan of the Siachen pioneers got airborne at 0600 hrs today and headed in the probable direction of the PRB. On initial approach they could not find anything. “We went back to where the footprints had started and worked our way backwards. A little ahead we found a grey protrusion which initially looked like a rock face, but on closer inspection found the edges to be flapping due to wind. Soon Michael came out of the tent, which we thought was a rock and waved to us” said Wg Cdr Dey, the mission leader and commanding officer of the unit.

“The site was on an incline of 35-45 degrees and we could not land the heptr. I held on a low hover and my co-pilot jumped out to ascertain that these were the people we were looking for and their medical condition. Both were able to move about, though the gentleman had developed Frost Bite. I picked up the lady and asked Wg Cdr Dey to come down and pick up the gentleman in a similar manner. Both on board we flew back safely to Leh” said Wg Cdr Pradhan the captain of the second heptr.

The rescued couple have been transferred to a medical facility at Leh and are recuperating well.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Defence
26-September, 2018 14:53 IST
BRO provides humanitarian assistance tourists stranded in Leh and Lahaul valley due to heavy snowfall

Early snowfall in higher reaches, cloud burst and heavy rain devastated large parts of Himachal Pradesh from22 to 24 Sep 2018. Kullu district and Lahaul-Spiti were worst affected. Also due to heavy snowfall on Rohtang Pass, Lahaul and Spiti Valley have been cut off, which affected large number of tourist who have gone to Leh and Lahaul Valley in Himachal Pradesh. They have been stranded at number of isolated locations.

Border Roads Organisation (BRO) on war footing started clearing various axes. Today from Project Rohtang Tunnel, team under Maj Shashi Chauhan and Capt Aashish Singla alongwith machinery were deployed to clear road axis upto Shishu and Koksar in Lahaul Valley to supplement efforts of 70 RCC of 38 BRTF . By evening approx. 300 people from Shishu and Koksarhave been rescued out from Lahaul Valley to Solang in Manali through Rohtang Tunnel. The rescued people include faculty and students from IITMandi, IITsRoorkee, Guwahati and Mumbai and some foreigners on trekking besides locals from Himachal Pradesh.

BRO also provided medical aid and refreshment to rescued people at Project Rohtang Tunnel. Co-ordination has been done with civil administration to safely take the rescued individuals to Manali and further to their destination.

Rohtang Tunnel which is under construction by BRO contributed immensely to evacuate and rescue stranded persons from Lahaul Valley to Manali.

Rescue efforts will continue for next few days until all stranded persons are evacuated and safely taken out from Lahaul & Spiti Valley.



SRR/Nampi/DK/Rajib/RS

Safe and sound: Stranded tourists being brought to Kullu from Lahaul and Spiti district on Wednesday.

Around 300 people stranded in various parts of Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul and Spiti district have been rescued and most of the 600 roads of the State reopened after being blocked following recent snowfall, officials said on September 26.

Twenty seven stranded people, including nine foreigners, were airlifted to safer places by the Indian Air Force, while the Border Road Organisation (BRO) rescued many people, the officials said.

An official of the Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority said most of the 600 roads, including the Chandigarh-Manali road, of the state have been reopened. He also said about 300 people stranded at various places of Lahaul and Spiti district have been rescued. Around 200 people are still stranded there, the official added.

Keylog Sub Divisional Magistrate Amar Negi said eight persons, hailing from West Bengal, were airlifted to safer places in Stingri in Lahaul district and Bhuntar in Kullu district on September 26 by 11 a.m., while five were airlifted to Stingri on September 25 evening.

Five of the total 27 people airlifted have been taken to Bhuntar in adjoining Kullu district in IAF helicopters directly, he added.

Mr. Negi told PTI that two IAF helicopters are continuously airlifting people stranded in various areas including Koksar and Baralacha.

The weather conditions are favourable now and BRO personnel are on their job to clear the roads of debris, he said hoping that most of the roads would be opened by Thursday morning, the SDM said.

 

[Hindustani78]

While 24 people, including five foreigners, were airlifted by IAF helicopters, others were evacuated through the Rohtang Tunnel by the Border Roads Organisation personnel.
india Updated: Sep 26, 2018 23:08 IST

Naresh K Thakur & Roop Upadhyay
Hindustan Times, Dharamshala/Mandi

Stranded tourists being brought to Kullu after they were rescued by the Indian Air Force from snow-marooned Lahaul & Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday. (PTI)

More than 650 people, including five foreigners, were evacuated on the second day of a mega search and rescue operation in snow-marooned district of Lahaul-Spiti in Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday.

While 24 people, including five foreigners, were airlifted by Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters from various locations, others were evacuated through the Rohtang Tunnel by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) personnel in the rescue operation that resumed at 7 am and continued till dusk.

The foreign tourists from Denmark and Norway, and nine from Kolkata, were airlifted from 16,020-feet-high Baralachal La pass.

An Israeli couple stuck at Kurgyak village on Himachal-Jammu & Kashmir border was rescued by helicopter of a private aviation company. Two Czech nationals and 26 Nepalese were also reportedly stranded at the same village which lies in Jammu and Kashmir.

Three people, including a pregnant woman from Nepal and a BRO labourer, have died in the past two days.

Kullu deputy commissioner Yunus Khan said IAF has deployed two Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) and one Medium Lift Helicopters (MLH) for the rescue operation while the state is also using chief minister’s Pawan Hans helicopter.

“Rescued people are being brought to Manali and Bhunter and two helipads have also been built at Dhalpur ground,” said Khan.

He said over 1,000 people are still stranded at various locations including Baralacha La, Surajtal, Killing Sarai, Bharatpur, Sarchu, Chhatru and Batal.

A rescue team sent to Chandertal has informed that there was no one left as all the camp owners at the lake had sent them towards Koksar the day it started snowing.

“A total of 24 people have been rescued by the helicopters,” Khan said, adding that the road clearing operation in Lahaul-Spiti district was on in full swing.

Telephone connectivity has been restored in the valley, but there is no electricity.

Early snowfall in the higher reaches, cloud burst and heavy rains devastated large parts of the state between September 22 and 24.

Kullu was the worst affected due to floods, while and Lahaul-Spiti was buried under 4–5-foot snow, leaving hundreds of tourists stranded.

Six missing trekkers found in Sangla

Six trekkers who were reported missing on the Dodrakwar to Sangla trek route have been found by a rescue team of Indo-Tibet Border Police (ITBP) at Sangla pass.

The trekkers hailing from Jubbal of Shimla and Delhi were missing since September 21. They were on a trek from Dodrakwar of Shimla to Sangla in Kinnaur.

The rescued trekkers have been identified as guide Aushutosh, Puneet and Nikhil from Jubbal of Shimla and Ashutosh Deepraj and Honey from Delhi.

Students rescued in Chamba

800 students and their teachers, who were stranded in the Holi area of Chamba district, were evacuated on Wednesday, when the Chamba-Holi road was opened after two days.

First Published: Sep 26, 2018 20:46 IST

 

[Hindustani78]

https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...al-s-chamba/story-i83HA03eiGVVSyjt2LRi5I.html
Sixteen members of a trekking expedition, including 10 foreigners, are missing following inclement weather in the higher reaches of tribal Pangi sub-division in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh.

The nationality of the 10 foreigners is not yet known.

Chamba superitendent of police (SP) Monkia Bhutungru said the group was supposed to return to a base camp on Saturday.

“Contact has been lost with them,” he said, adding that a rescue team comprising police personnel, local porters and mountaineering experts has been sent on the route the group had taken.

The group arrived at Hiltwan area of Pangi in Chamba district on September 17. Two days later, they trekked to Bhujpatra mountains. While the group stayed in the mountains, the porters returned to the base camp.

They had told the porters to meet them at Bhujptr mountains again on September 29. However, the porters could not establish contact with them despite repeated attempt and informed the police, the officer said.

According to the porters, the group has adequate food and medicine supplies, the SP said.

After many years, the high altitudes of Himachal Pradesh, including capital Shimla and Lahaul-Spiti districts, faced snowfall in September, which cut it off from the rest of the country.

Trekking trails over the high mountains connect Pangi valley with Lahaul-Spiti and Kullu in Himachal and also Jammu and Kashmir.

Adventure seekers and members of Gaddi and Gujjar community often follow the trails to cross the mountains.

First Published: Sep 29, 2018 19:18 IST

 

[Hindustani78]

https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...il-district/story-v6DBFjV4NiBGmG0WMphflJ.html
Over 60 people, including a French national, were rescued by police after they were stranded in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kargil district due to heavy snowfall, officials said Sunday.

Around 60 Nepali porters, including women and children,a French national, and four Indians, were on their way to Himachal Pradesh when they got stuck near Lakhang on September 22 due to heavy snowfall in the region, a police spokesperson said. He said after strenuous efforts by a police team with the help of locals, 65 stranded passengers were traced near Lakhang and shifted to a nearby village where they were provided food, shelter and other necessities.

Many people suffered frostbite, the spokesman said.

“After active efforts from district administration and police, helicopter rescue was arranged and 13 people who needed medical aide were airlifted to Padum Zanskar and shifted to Zanskar community health centre Saturday,” he said.

They are undergoing treatment, he said.

First Published: Sep 30, 2018 15:47 IST

 

[Hindustani78]

Soldiers carry shells near a FH-77B 155mm artillery gun. Reuters file