Uttarkashi tunnel collapse: IAF lands rescue gears at Dharasu ALG in a critical operation

New Delhi: As a part of the efforts being undertaken to rescue 40 trapped workers in Uttarakhand, the Indian Air Force has airlifted 27.5 tonnes of rescue equipment with pin-point accuracy, using a “short and narrow” airstrip high up in the Himalayas after creating a “mud-ramp” for quick offloading, defence sources said.

The IAF used two of its C-130J Super Hercules aircraft for landing on the 3,600 ft strip in Uttarakhand’s Dharasu advanced landing ground, which is about 30 km from the rescue site. The two pilots made personal reconnaissance sorties in choppers to assess the conditions of the airstrip before a decision was taken to touch down.

Continuing with the rescue operation, the IAF has now deployed its C-17 transporter to ferry 22 tonnes of additional rescue equipment from Indore to Dehradun.

On Nov 15, the force was pressed into action to airlift the rescue gears to a site as close to the tunnel where the workers have been trapped for more than 120 hours. Dharasu ALG at Chinyalisaur was identified as the closest site.

The catch, however, was that the ALG located at 3,000 ft above the sea level was earlier declared unfit for routine C-130J operations.

Since the rescue operation is a time-critical one, top officials at the Western Air Command decided to disregard the previous norms and the two C-130J pilots were sent for a recce in helicopter. Multiple sorties were flown to assess obstructions and runway conditions.

The two aircraft were launched to Agra and Palam to assess the type of equipment and quick loading so that they can fly as soon as the ALG is declared fit for operation.

The ALG was made operational quickly after clearing the vegetation, which could be detrimental for flying operation, and constructing a mud ramp for quick off-loading.

“The IAF undertook three missions and airlifted 27.5 tonnes of critical rescue equipment into such a short airstrip. The mission was undertaken amidst the challenges of reduced visibility conditions. The operation was executed within less than five hours,” sources said.

Taking the heavy equipment out of the aircraft without any damage was also a challenging task in the absence of specialised equipment at Dharasu. In one of the cargo off-loading, a mud ramp was created locally to avoid delay in subsequent rescue operations.

The flying operations needed a calculated approach and adequate risk mitigation to undertake such a non-routine critical operation, they added.