Guwahati. Operations to retrieve the mortal remains of the personnel onboard the ill fated An-32 are on.

The rescue team of 17 IAF, Army SF and civilian members is present at the crash site. The rescue operations are being curtailed due to incessant rains and heavy clouding. No helicopter could fly today due to bad weather.

Helicopter operations require great skill and caution, under such conditions, especially hovering at high altitudes and very close to the steep mountain slopes. Bad weather is hampering hovering by helicopters to do winching operations which are mandatory for all the rescue operations and recovery of mortal remains.

All efforts are being made to heli-lift the mortal remains of the IAF personnel at the earliest to their parent base Jorhat. Rescue teams are standing by and operations will resume as soon as the weather improves.