IAF successfully airlifts 488 stranded civilians from Udhampur to Leh

Jammu, March 9: The Indian Air Force (IAF) airlifted 488 stranded civilians from Udhampur to Leh in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir. With this successful operation, a total of 955 stranded passengers have been airlifted by the IAF to Leh from Udhampur-based IAF station this year.

 

Notably, Ladakh region also remains cut-off for over five months due to heavy snowfall in Zojila pass area, along 434-km Srinagar-Leh National Highway, the only road linking the frontier region with rest of the state.

As many as 488 civilians airlifted by the sorties of Indian Air Force from Udhampur to Leh in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Air Forces operated its special aircraft IL-76 popularly called as Gajraj to airlift civilians on requisition by Jammu and Kashmir government. Air Force Station Udhampur was the staging base for this rescue activity.

Earlier, on February 27, as many as 234 stranded passengers were airlifted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) from Udhampur district to Leh in the Ladakh region. On February 19, about 233 Leh-Kargil-bound passengers were airlifted from Udhampur to Leh, after they were stranded due to turbulent weather in the region. Importantly, due to recent snow and bad weather in the Leh-Kargil sector lot of civilians were stranded in Jammu region.