New Delhi: In a daring rescue and evacuation operation, Indian Army and Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters on May 7 brought to safety a stranded crew of the IAF helicopters and air dispatch crew at an altitude of 15,500 feet above sea level amid inclement weather.

The rescue and evacuation teams comprising Army and Air Force helicopters reached the high altitude emergency landing site at North Sikkim braving snow blizzards to evacuate four IAF crew and Air Dispatch personnel.

A day ago on May 6, a Mi-17 helicopter airborne Chaten to Mukutang in Sikkim made a forced landing at 10 nautical miles short of designated helipad due to bad weather. The helicopter had sustained some damage.

Later, Army and Air Force helicopters were launched at the stroke of dawn on May 7 and they executed a daring landing on an unprepared ground rescuing the stranded personnel.

“The stranded military personnel braved inclement weather conditions for several hours before being evacuated. Immediately on receipt of information, on May 7, Indian Army rescue columns with personnel of ITBPs too, moved on foot, traversing dangerous terrain in bad weather, to the helicopter landing site to evacuate the individuals and provide medical aid, for which a doctor of the ITBP also accompanied,” said a release from Army Eastern Command.