IAF airlifts 186 stranded passengers from Jammu to Srinagar

Over 180 passengers, mostly the GATE aspirants, were Sunday airlifted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) from Jammu to Srinagar, a defence spokesman said.

The IAF launched special sorties of C17 Globemaster over the past two days, airlifting a total of 538 persons, including 319 Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) aspirants, between the twin capitals on Friday and Saturday, he said.

"The IAF again came into assistance of 186 passengers including 170 students who were again airlifted from Jammu to Srinagar after appearing in the GATE examination," the spokesman said.

He said the students quoted it as a "lifetime memorable exam" for them and will be remembered forever.

"The students were very relieved as they could appear only because of a timely and humanitarian assistance from the armed forces. All of them were very appreciative and thankful for this humanitarian concern of the armed forces along with guarding the frontiers at all times," the spokesman said.

Among others who were airlifted included children, he said.

Meanwhile, 28 stranded people, including three critically-ill women, were airlifted from snow-bound areas of Kishtwar in various sorties by Pawan Hans helicopter, officials said.

Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar, Angrez Singh Rana personally monitored the operations, they said, adding the district administration had sought the chopper services to airlift critically-ill patients from far-flung snowbound areas including Marwah, Warwan and Dachhan.

On Saturday, the district administration had airlifted three patients from Kishtwar to Jammu.