IAF airlifts donated organs in overnight mission

The Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Armed Forces Medical Services executed a life-saving overnight mission to transport donated organs from Pune to Delhi, officials said on Saturday.

The organs — a liver and two kidneys — were retrieved from a brain-dead donor, a dependent of a serving soldier, at the Command Hospital in Pune. Recognising the critical urgency, the IAF deployed a transport aircraft to airlift the organs to Army Hospital (Research & Referral) in Delhi, enabling timely transplantation.

“In a remarkable example of inter-service coordination and selfless service, the Indian Air Force and the Armed Forces Medical Services executed a swift overnight mission to airlift the vital organs," a senior official said.

The mission, involving precise planning and seamless execution, is expected to save multiple lives, reinforcing the armed forces' commitment to humanitarian service beyond the call of duty.

Officials noted that the operation stands as a testament to the military’s readiness and its ethos of putting lives first, even outside combat scenarios.