IAF retrieves stranded rescue team from AN-32 crash site

Guwahati:  The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Saturday evening retrieved all the 15 members of the search and rescue team engaged in the search of the AN-32 aircraft who got stranded in the crash site along the Indo-China border, said defence spokesperson Wing Commander Ratnakar Singh.

Singh said the 15-member search and rescue team was camping at the crash site since June 12 due to bad weather and rains.

“All the 15 members of the team, including eight from the IAF, four from the Army and three other civilian rescuers, were retrieved today using ALH and Mi-17V5 helicopters,” Singh said, adding that the effort to retrieve them was delayed due to inclement weather and rain.

“The weather condition improved slightly today, allowing the risky helicopter operations to be undertaken. We did that and the team was retrieved,” he said.

All the members were fit and in good health, he added.

The ill-fated AN-32 aircraft of the Indian Air Force went missing after taking off from the Jorhat air base in Assam for Mechuka advanced landing ground in Arunachal Pradesh on June 3.

The rescue team was air dropped near the wreckage site of the aircraft on June 12 and subsequently retrieved the bodies and mortal remains of 13 air warriors on board the AN-32. However, the rescue team got stranded there due to bad weather.

 Published on: June 29, 2019 at 21:10 IST

IANS