- The IAF airlifted an 85-year-old paralysed woman from Himachal Pradesh to Chandigarh
- The evacuation occurred at 9,000 feet amid snowfall and low visibility conditions
- Roads to the remote village were blocked due to heavy snowfall before the rescue
The Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out an urgent medical evacuation of an 85-year-old paralysed woman from Dhanderwari, a remote village in Himachal Pradesh, as the roads were blocked after heavy snowfall. The woman was airlifted to Chandigarh in a Cheetah helicopter. She was stable, thanks to the timely assistance from the Air Force team.
The rescue operation was carried out at 9,000 feet above mean sea level amid snowfall and low visibility. The video shared by the IAF shows how the woman was carried on a stretcher to the helicopter.
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"An IAF Cheetah helicopter undertook an urgent medical evacuation of an 85 Year-old paralysed woman from Dhanderwari, Himachal Pradesh (9,000 ft AMSL) to Chandigarh," the Media Co-ordination Centre of the IAF wrote in the caption of the post.
"This was after snowfall blocked all roads. The life-saving mission was completed in snowfall, and low visibility. The woman is stable after receiving timely medical assistance."
Himachal Pradesh received significant snowfall, with Shillaroo and Kothi recording 5 cm of snow. Further, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned of thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds.
Watch the video here:
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All About Cheetah Helicopter
The Cheetah Helicopter, a five-seater high-performance helicopter, is identical to the LAMA SA 315B Helicopter of Eurocopter, France.
On an official website, it's noted that the Cheetah helicopter is versatile, multi-role, multi-purpose, and highly manoeuvrable. This helicopter is designed for operation over a "very wide range of weight, centre of gravity and altitude conditions".
Social Media Reaction
"IAF Team always doing great," one user wrote in the video.
"Grateful for IAF's bravery! Wishing the woman speedy recovery!" a second user wrote.
"Salute to Indian forces for their service," a third user wrote.
