AN-32 crash: IAF retrieves 15-member rescue team from crash site

The 15-member team which helped to recover bodies of personnel died in AN-32 crash in Arunachal Pradesh was retrieved on Saturday evening, the Indian Air Force (IAF) said.

The team who was stuck at the crash site since June 20 could not be airlifted, due to inclement weather and rain.

"Today evening around 5:15 PM, the search and rescue team which was camping as the crash site since June 12, was retrieved by IAF choppers to along. The 15 member team comprising of 8 from IAF (including 2 officers), 4 from Army (including 1 officer) and 3 civilians were recovered using ALH and Mi-17V5 helicopters," the IAF release said.

Thirteen IAF personnel died in the AN-32 aircraft crash which went missing on June 3 after taking off from Assam's Jorhat. The aircraft was headed for Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) in Arunachal Pradesh when it lost contact with ground authorities at around 1 pm.

After a massive search and rescue operation for eight days, during which assets from several agencies were deployed, the wreckage of the aircraft was located by a Mi-17 chopper. The remains IAF personnel were retrieved on June 20 from Arunachal Pradesh where the plane crashed.

The wreckage was located 16 km north of Lipo in Arunachal Pradesh at an elevation of 12,000 feet.