New Delhi, April 12 : An Indian Army soldier, who suffered a severe hand injury while operating machinery in a forward area unit, was swiftly airlifted to a hospital in Delhi after a “dark night airlift” conducted by an IAF C-130J aircraft from the Ladakh sector, officials disclosed on Friday.
The soldier underwent an emergency surgery at the Army’s Research Referral (R&R) Hospital in Delhi, where his severed hand was successfully reattached.
According to sources, the incident occurred on Wednesday, and the soldier was initially evacuated to Leh air base. From there, he was airlifted to Palam air force station in Delhi via a Super Hercules aircraft.
The entire operation, from the soldier’s evacuation to Leh to his arrival in Delhi, took approximately four hours. The seamless coordination between the Army and the IAF facilitated the timely execution of the critical surgery, ensuring the soldier received prompt medical attention.
On Friday morning, the Indian Air Force shared details of the emergency airlift on social media, along with a photo of the soldier recuperating at the hospital.
An IAF official described the operation as a “dark night airlift,” emphasizing the use of night vision goggles (NVGs) during the mission.
“The injured soldier received immediate medical attention thanks to the dark night airlift using NVGs from the Ladakh sector by #IAF. A dedicated team of medical professionals successfully performed the surgery, and the soldier is now on the path to recovery,” the IAF stated in its social media post.
This incident underscores the IAF’s ability to execute complex operations, even under challenging conditions, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring the well-being of defense personnel.
