IAF rescues 22 stranded UK, French tourists in ladakh

Twenty-two British and French trekkers, stranded in high altitude ladakh region of Jammu & Kashmir following heavy downpour, have been rescued by IAF personnel in the past two days. “Braving adverse weather, IAF helicopters from leh rescued 21 British Nationals and 1 French national on August 6 and 7 in a challenging casualty evacuation from high altitude in ladakh,” Defence spokesman at Army’s Northern Command Col SD Goswami said on Saturday. 

After five days of continuous downpour, all major rivers like Indus, Nubra, Shyok and their tributaries in ladakh region were flowing above danger mark, he said. 

Road and telephone communications were cut off. The Air Force Station in leh received an SOS to rescue a group of British citizens who were stranded in the Markha Valley, he said.