Arya News - The crew stripped non-essential equipment from the helicopter and carried limited fuel before attempting the evacuation during the final available landing window of the day.
NEW DELHI – A helicopter balanced with just one skid against a steep mountain slope became the lifeline for a stranded casualty at 18,600 feet near Nun Kun, where Indian Army Aviation pilots carried out a difficult high-altitude evacuation with no conventional landing space available.
Strong mountain winds made the operation harder. So did fading daylight. The mission was carried out during the final available landing window of the day, according to the Army’s Fire and Fury Corps.
The conditions forced the crew to prepare the helicopter specifically for the demanding evacuation. Non-essential equipment was removed to reduce its weight, while the aircraft carried limited fuel.
At 18,600 feet, the thinner air reduces both engine performance and the lift generated by the helicopter’s rotors. Cutting weight, therefore, gave the crew more usable lift while retaining enough fuel to reach the casualty and return safely.
No landing space at 18,600 feet
The greater challenge emerged after the pilots reached the casualty.
There was no suitable patch of ground on which the helicopter could make a conventional landing. Instead, the crew had to work against strong winds above a steep mountain slope.
The pilots brought the helicopter into a low hover and carefully held it in position. One skid was allowed to touch the slope, providing enough stability for the casualty to be secured aboard.
The helicopter then lifted away and descended safely from the high-altitude location.
‘Last available landing window of the day’
The Fire and Fury Corps described the operation as a “daring rescue mission” in a post on X.
“In a daring rescue mission at 18,600 ft near Nun Kun, Indian Army Aviation pilots evacuated a casualty from an extremely challenging slope with no landing space and strong winds,” it said.
The Army said the helicopter had been lightened by removing non-essential equipment and was flown with limited fuel.
The aviators carried out the evacuation with “exceptional precision, courage and determination”, it said, referring particularly to the critical manoeuvre in which one skid touched the slope.
“The mission, undertaken at the last available landing window of the day, stands as a testament to the skill, courage and compassion of Indian Army Aviation,” the Fire and Fury Corps said.