IAF Helicopters Join Uttarakhand Rescue Efforts, Evacuate Stranded Pilgrims

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 2nd August. The Indian Air Force’s Chinook and MI17 helicopters have been deployed to assist in the rescue operations in Uttarakhand, evacuating over 500 pilgrims stranded on the damaged trek route to Kedarnath.

On Friday morning, ten pilgrims were airlifted by an MI17 helicopter and dropped at Gauchar airstrip.

The trek route was severely affected by a cloudburst in Junglechatti near Lincholi on Wednesday night, which washed out a 20-25 meter stretch of the road and blocked the route with boulders. Despite the extensive damage, officials confirmed that the stranded pilgrims are safe and around 5,000 food packets have been distributed to them.

To assist families in locating their stranded relatives, the district administration has issued two helpline numbers — 7579257572 and 01364-233387 — and an emergency number 112.

The Kedarnath yatra has been temporarily suspended, with an advisory urging pilgrims to remain where they are until the route is cleared.

Rescue operations by NDRF and SDRF on Thursday successfully evacuated over 3,000 pilgrims. The deployment of Chinook and MI17 helicopters follows a review by the Prime Minister’s Office, aimed at accelerating the rescue efforts.