Ladakh: Indian Army deploys choppers to rescue injured civilians
Aug 11, 2025
Ladakh [India], August 11 : The Indian Army deployed choppers to rescue six injured civilians, including three adults and three young children, on Monday.
The evacuation request for the civilians was relayed by the Deputy Commissioner of Keylong to the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, and was acted upon immediately.
Two of the injured were rushed by road to SNM Hospital in Leh for urgent medical care, while the remaining four were airlifted by Army helicopters for treatment.
At the transit camp, Captain Niharika, Regimental Medical Officer from the 4014 Field Hospital, administered crucial first aid and stabilisation measures before the patients were moved.
Army officials ensured all casualties received timely and appropriate medical attention.
Apart from this, the Indian Army continues extensive Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations in Dharali and Harsil, Uttarakhand, following the massive landslides and flooding earlier this week.
Engineering, search, medical, and communication teams are working around the clock to restore connectivity, rescue stranded civilians, and support local communities.
A major focus remains on restoring vital links. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and Army engineers are constructing a 90-foot Bailey Bridge at Limchigarh, while clearance work is underway on heavily damaged stretches of road between Gangotri and Uttarkashi.
A 330-foot cableway is also being built to connect submerged road sections. On 09 August, a total of 33 helicopter sorties, including Army and civil aviation, evacuated 195 civilians from affected areas.
Nearly 200 tourists were assisted in crossing mudslide zones and reaching the Harsil helipad for onward evacuation. Food and accommodation have been provided to over 110 stranded tourists.
Search operations for missing soldiers and civilians are being conducted with the support of five highly trained Search and Rescue (SAR) dogs, drones, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), and LiDAR equipment. Debris clearance, resuscitation of footbridges, and temporary track construction are also underway to improve ground access.
