Shimla, November 8
The Indian Air Force (IAF) today pressed into service five helicopters to rescue those who were stranded in the Lahaul valley following heavy snow on Rohtang Pass on Sunday.
Two MI-17 and three Cheetah helicopters made several sorties to airlift 18 persons who were stranded at various places near the Gramfoo and Chhota Dhara areas. They also conducted recce of the entire area to spot any stranded persons. One of the rescued suffered from frost bite.
Two persons who are feared dead have been identified as Pritam Chand, a driver of the State Forest Corporation, and Vinod Kumar, a labourer from Bihar.
Another 25 persons, including two foreigners, were held up in Keylong. They will be able to come out of the valley only after the reopening of Rohtang Pass. Engineers and workmen of General Reserve Engineering Force (GREF) are working round the clock to open the pass. If there is no further snow, it will be opened by tomorrow evening.
Blankets, foodpackets and jackets were airdropped for those who were caught in about three feet of snow in the area along with vehicles. They were coming from Kaza to Manali.
There were conflicting reports about the death of two persons and six being critically ill due to snow and cold, District police chief P. Lakshmipatti said.
An IAF spokesman in New Delhi said an SOS had been received last night from the state Chief Secretary that between 22 and 30 persons were stuck between Gramfoo and Chhota Dhara in the Chandra valley of Lahaul-Spiti.
All five persons rescued during the first sortie were flown to Bhuntar airfield, the spokesman said.
The district authorities had also requested the IAF to fly their helicopters over the Manali-Leh road to ascertain if anyone was trapped at Baralacha Pass.
