20 feared killed in IAF chopper crash in Uttarakhand
Mangalore Today/CNN-IBN
Gauchar, Jun 25 , 2013: 20 people, including Air Force and para-military personnel, were today feared killed when a sophisticated IAF helicopter crashed in bad weather near Gaurikund in Uttarakhand during rescue operations.
Vice Chairman of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) M Sashidhar Reddy said eight bodies have been recovered and chances of any survivor among the 19 onboard were remote.
"There were 20 people onboard including NDRF, ITBP and IAF personnel. Eight bodies have been recovered," he told PTI.
Among those killed were three IAF officers, she said.
Rudraprayag SP Varinderjeet Singh said the cause of the crash is not immediately known but chances are high that the mishap occurred due to bad weather.
A senior Air Force officer in Gauchar said the ill-fated Mi-17 chopper had made two sorties to the Kedarnath area since this morning and was on its third sortie when it crashed.
The crash occurred in "difficult" weather conditions created by rains and fog, he said.
The chopper belonged to a unit from Barrackpore Air Force Station in West Bengal under the Eastern Air Command.
A Court of Inquiry has been order to investigate the crash, the spokesperson said.
The IAF said its operations in the area will continue. IAF had started inducting Mi-17 V5 choppers only last year after 80 of them were ordered from Russia.
This is the second incident of a helicopter crash this week in the hill state. A private helicopter carrying relief materials for the rain-affected people in Rudraprayag district had crashed on Sunday near Gaurikund leaving the pilot injured.
Air Force officials said eight bodies have been recovered from the crash site by the Garud Commandos of the IAF. They said the chopper had taken off at 12.30 PM from Kedarnath area and crashed within five to seven minutes.
Defence Minister A K Antony has expressed anguish over the crash. A pall of gloom descended at the helipad here after reports of the crash reached. IAF, Army and ITBP officers went into a huddle at a tent erected by the Air Force for controlling its operations.
Senior officials of the agencies involved in the rescue operations also rushed to the helipad.
IAF officers were seen making anxious calls over their cellphones and restricted frequency equipment to finetune the operations and gather details of the crash.
Presence of local police officials has been beefed up in the area after the mishap.
Meanwhile, the rescue mission in Guptkashi is drawing to a close and tents set up for rescue camps are now being shifted to Badrinath. Rescue operations have also resumed in Joshimath after the weather cleared up.
"A group of people are there with the Army at relief camps. Between Harsil and Uttarkashi, the Army has established relief camps and 683 people were moved from Harsil to Uttarkashi on Monday by foot. On Tuesday, no one has been moved due to bad weather," Army spokesperson Brigadier Uma Maheshwari said.
The Indian Navy’s elite Marine Commandos will be deployed in Rudraprayag to help in search and rescue operations. Twelve naval divers are heading to Rishikesh to look for bodies. UAVs have been deployed to retrieve bodies from inaccessible areas.
Around 430 people were airlifted from the Harsil-Gangotri axis area. IAF sorties were by and large stopped but the skies did clear up over Guptkashi allowing a few more evacuations. But despite weather hindrances, ground rescue operations have been continuing.
Rains trigger fresh landslides
More rains in Uttarakhand have brought with them the threat of fresh landslides. In fact, the only operational road between Sonprayag and Gaurikund has now been hit by fresh landslides, stalling rescue efforts.
Two more routes, one leading from Rudraprayag to Guptkashi and the other from Chamba to Uttarkashi, were hit due to the overnight rain. But the Met department’s prediction has now given hope that the worst is over.
"We are maintaining light to moderate rain. June 24 to 26 will be crucial. Low clouds might affect flying, but we are hoping for it to improve," said Anand Sharma of the Met department.
Helplines:
Save the Children contact details:
Website : www.savethechildren.in
Phone : 011-42294900 / 66141335
Helpline numbers:
Uttarkashi: 01374-226126, 226161
Chamoli: 01372-251437
Tehri: 01376-233433
Rudraprayag: 01732-1077
The ITBP helpline and control room numbers: 011-24362892, 9968383478
Army medical emergency helpline numbers: 18001805558, 18004190282, 8009833388
Uttarakhand Helpline numbers: 0135-2710334, 2710335, 2710233
Railway helpline numbers at Haridwar: 09760534054/09760534055;
Dehradun: 01352622131;
Rishikesh: 01352434167
Special helpline numbers:
State Disaster Management Centre: 0135-2710334, 2710335, 2718401-04. Fax: 2718400, 6555523, 6555524
Others: 09755444486, 09808151240, 09837134399, 999779124, 9451901023, 9456755206, 9634535758
For more information, please see the website where details are available: http://uk.gov.in
Email ID: relief-uk@nic.in
Haridwar Control Room Numbers: 01334-233727, 01334-265876, 01334-223999, 01334-226849
Contact Person Dr Naresh Chaudhary: 9837352202