WATCH | IAF Helicopters Evacuate Crashed Private Aircraft From Kedarnath

Two Mi-17 V5 helicopters of Indian Air Force (IAF) evacuated a crashed aircraft of UT Air Pvt limited at 11500 feet at Kedarnath helipad on Saturday. The chopper was flown to Sahastradhara near Dehradun. The private aircraft had crashed a few days back at an altitude of 11500 feet at the Kedarnath helipad.

It was not feasible to transport the wreckage to a lower region due to only foot track connectivity to Kedarnath. The company had requested the IAF, through Uttarakhand civil administration, to render assistance in evacuation of their downed aircraft before the closure of Kedarnath Shrine this month end, the official statement of the IAF said.

On Saturday morning, two helicopters were pressed into action, with one of them tasked to provide logistical support and the other for extricating the downed civilian aircraft by carrying it underslung. 

The IAF crew displayed deft handling, the aircraft was hooked below the helicopter and then skill-fully flown back through the narrow valley, all the way to Sahastradhara near Dehradun, the statement added. “The safe evacuation is testimony to the responsiveness of the IAF in support of the civilian administration and the skill of IAF aircrew,” it added.