NET News Desk
A joint team of Indian Air Force and the Indian Army on Friday rescued six crew members of a Mi-17 military helicopter from a snow-capped mountain at an altitude of 15,500 feet in North Sikkim.
The crew members of IAF were stranded in the icy heights and made an emergency landing due to the inclement weather near Mukutang in Sikkim on Thursday.
As per reports and army, official said that the Indian Army and the IAF helicopters in tandem with troops on ground executed a daring rescue of stranded air crew from an altitude of 15,500 feet in inclement weather in Sikkim. All crew members on board are safe.
#IndianArmy and #IAF helicopters in tandem with troops on ground execute a daring rescue of stranded air crew from an altitude of 15500 ft in inclement weather in Sikkim.@adgpi @spokespersonMoD @IAF_MCC pic.twitter.com/nVqtQeUhco
— EasternCommand_IA (@easterncomd) May 8, 2020
The helicopter was on a routine air maintenance sortie from Chaten to Mukutang and it sustained damage in the incident, say reports.
The IAF has already ordered an investigation into the emergency landing of the Mi-17 chopper.
IAF's helicopter on air maintenance mission carried out a precautionary landing in North Sikkim on 07 May 20.
The IAF aircraft & aircrew along with the #IndianArmy crew has been recovered safely, with prompt & joint operations by IAF & Indian Army.— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) May 8, 2020