Four days after rescuing one Hungarian national from the mountainous Kishtwar district of Jammu province, the Army on Wednesday saved the life of an Israeli national, who was trapped at a high altitude in Ladakh.
Srinagar-based defence spokesperson said that on August 31, 2022, 114 Helicopter unit received a call for casevac from Nimaling camp near Markha Valley in Ladakh.
"Atar Kahana, an Israeli national, was suffering from high altitude sickness, including vomiting and low oxygen saturation", the spokesperson said.
Reports said that two crew teams were deputed to rescue the trapped foreigner as early as possible because his condition was deteriorating due to a severe cold.
"Leading from the front, the Flt Cdr 114 HU, Wg Cdr Ashish Kapoor and Flt Lt Rhythm Mehra as crew number one and Sqn Ldr Neha Singh and Sqn Ldr Ajinkya Kher as crew number two, got airborne within minutes, for this time-critical mission", the statement issued by defence spokesperson reads.
Following the shortest route, the Casevac aircrafts reached the spot within 20 minutes of flying time and spotted the casualty on the Gongmaru La pass at an elevation of 16800 feet.
The number one aircrew carried out a thorough recce and landed at the pass with the assistance of number two and picked up the Israeli national from the pass in turbulent weather conditions. The Israeli national was recovered expeditiously within the limited time of one hour at Air Force Station Leh.
Army rescued a Hungarian national in Kishtwar during 30 hours long operation
The Army with the coordination of district administration Kishtwar earlier rescued one Hungarian national on August 27 from the Dool area of this mountainous district.
A team of Indian Army unit deployed at Dool, Kishtwar, in coordination with Indian Air Force and district administration, carried out an 30 hours long search and rescue operation in the upper reaches of Greater Himalayan ranges of Paddar, Kishtwar to rescue a Hungarian national.
Akos Vermes, aged 38 years from Budapest, Hungary had lost his way in the treacherous and glaciated heights of Umasi La Pass in Sumcham Valley of Paddar region in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir.
The traveller was located by a joint effort of the Indian Army and Indian Air Force who conducted the search operation and rescued the foreign travaller who was brought to Kishtwar.
The travellers had lost his way while on a mountaineering expedition and was exposed to inclement weather for a prolonged period of five days.
