Udhampur, Sept 28: On 27 Sep 18 in
the afternoon hours Air Force Station, Udhampur was tasked to carry
out Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief (HADR) mission in
Himachal Pradesh, close to Chamba and Kilar valley. Two aircrafts were
launched from Air Force Station, Udhampur immediately. They had a tiring task
of landing at a small helipad at Chamba that could accommodate only single
aircraft. On reaching, the aircrew realized that there were 52 school children
aged 9-10 years stranded at Chamba town for past 10 days . The
children were from a school at Kilar and were to be airlifted back to
Kilar.
Additionally, 45 medical personnel were found stranded at Kilar at an
elevation of more than 9500 feet. There is a highly treacherous ridge (Kund)
between Chamba, which is at an elevation of more than 3000 feet and Kilar at an
elevation of more than 9500 feet. Both the aircrafts established an air bridge
between Kilar and Chamba, crossing a pass more than 15000 feet. Air bridge is a
term generally used in aviation to signify routes and means of delivery
material from one place to another by an airlift. It is a kind of a link
by air transport between two places separated by inhospitable/ unreachable
terrain. More than 35 children and 25 adults were rescued till sunset of 27 Sep
18. Additionally, on 28 Sep 18, 26 medical personnel were rescued from Kilar to
Chamba and 24 children from Chamba to Kilar. Both the aircrafts and crew have
come back safely to Air Force Station, Udhampur. Government of Himachal Pradesh
has applauded the efforts put up by Air Force Station, Udhampur towards
Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief (HADR) mission.
