IAF's Super Hercules executes night airlift from Leh, ensures soldier's critical surgery

Indian Air Force ensured the soldier's critical surgery to stitch back his severed hand could be performed in time.

Updated on: Apr 13, 2024, 13:21:34 IST

By HT News Desk

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An Indian Army personnel, who suffered a severed hand while operating machinery in a forward area, underwent a complex surgery at a Delhi hospital after a rapid "dark night airlift" by an IAF C-130J aircraft from the Ladakh sector.

IAF posted a photo of the soldier recuperating at hospital. (IAF)

The incident occurred on April 9.

"An IndianArmy personnel severed his hand while operating a machine, at a unit located in the forward area. Given a window of 6 to 8 hrs for emergency surgery to save his appendage, an IAF C-130J aircraft was launched within an hour to move the jawan for surgery at the R & R hospital in Delhi," IAF posted on X.

Due to the nighttime airlift using NVGs (night vision goggles) by IAF, the injured personnel received swift medical attention. A dedicated team of medical professionals performed a successful surgery, and the jawan is now on the road to recovery, the IAF said in its post.

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Know about “dark night airlift” operation in five points

1. The injured soldier stationed in Ladakh was swiftly evacuated to the Military Garrison Hospital in Leh for stabilisation by a team of dedicated doctors. The decision to transport the soldier to the Army's Research & Referral Hospital in Delhi was made for advanced medical care unavailable locally.

2. The heavy-lift transport aircraft Super Hercules of the IAF, which had taken off from the Hindon Air Force station in Ghaziabad, carried out a night landing at Leh airfield using night vision equipment.

3. It airlifted the soldier from Leh air base to Palam Air Force station in Delhi via a Super Hercules aircraft, racing against time to save his appendage before the critical surgery window closed.

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4. The evacuation operation demonstrated significant synergy within the armed forces, with the IAF facilitating transportation within an hour of the Indian Army's request for air support.

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5. Despite the challenging circumstances, the coordinated efforts of the Army and the IAF ensured the soldier's critical surgery to stitch back his severed hand could be performed in time, with the entire process from Leh air base to Delhi taking about four hours.

(Inputs from PTI)

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HT News Desk
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