CHANDIGARH: Responding to an urgent medical evacuation request from the Ladakh administration, the Indian Air Force (IAF) airlifted a critically ill 70-year-old resident of Ladakh from Leh to Chandigarh aboard an IAF C-130 aircraft.
"The mission was executed under pitch-dark conditions in the challenging Himalayan terrain and under harsh weather conditions. The mission was executed using Night Vision Goggles. This timely operation not only ensured immediate life-saving medical care, but also exemplified the Indian Air Force’s professionalism and commitment to humanitarian assistance — anytime, anywhere,’’ said a defence spokesperson.
The C-130 regularly carries out operational as well as humanitarian missions at night, when visibility is a critical parameter.
A week back the Indian Air Force had airlifted two critically ill patients, one of them experiencing cardiac issues, from Leh to Chandigarh in an AN-32 aircraft. These rescue and evacuation missions are regularly undertaken by the IAF and the Army Aviation Corps for military personnel as well as civilians in distress. In serious cases, patients are airlifted by fixed-wing aircraft to larger cities such as Chandigarh, Srinagar or Jammu, where advanced medical facilities are available.
Meanwhile, in several incidents, casualties are evacuated from remote areas by helicopters, often flying at the limits of their operational capability. The harsh climate of Ladakh also poses serious medical challenges for soldiers deployed in high-altitude areas. Civilians, too, are frequently stranded by landslides and avalanches or require emergency evacuation due to low oxygen levels and severe weather conditions in the region.