Bodies Of 4 IAF Soldiers Found 56 Years After Plane Crash In Himachal

56 years after an Indian Air Force plane crash in Himachal Pradesh, the bodies of four soldiers were recovered from Rohtang Pass.

The Indian Air Force aircraft had crashed near Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh on February 7, 1968. (Representational Image)

Source : PTI

Bodies of four Indian Air Force soldiers have been recovered from Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh 56 years after an Indian Air Force plane carrying 102 people onboard crashed in Himachal Pradesh. 

The AN-12 aircraft went missing shortly after it took off from Chandigarh on February 7, 1968. The plane crashed due to severe weather conditions near the Rohtang Pass and the wreckage and remains of the victims were lost in the icy Himalayas, reported India Today. 

The wreckage was first discovered in 2003 by mountaineers from the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering. Multiple expeditions were undertaken later over the years by the Army, especially the Dogra Scouts, who have been at the forefront of the search missions in 2005, 2006, 2013, and 2019. 

Despite the challenges ranging from inclement weather conditions to difficult terrain, only five bodies were recovered from the spot till 2019. With the recovery of four more bodies by the Chandra Bhaga Mountain Expedition, the total number of dead bodies recovered so far stands at 9. 

Of the four bodies recovered, three have been identified. One Malkhan Singh (Pioneer), was identified by a voucher found in his pocket while Sepoy Narayan Singh (Army Medical Corps) was identified by his paybook found on his person. Singh belonged to the village of Kolpadi, Chamoli Tehsil in Garhwal, Uttarakhand, the officials said, as per a PTI report.

Craftsman Thomas Charan from the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME) was also identified through his paybook and further confirmation. He hailed from Elanthoor, Pathanamthitta district in Kerala and his mother has been informed of the recovery.  

The fourth victim is yet to be identified although the Army has found details of the person's family and has informed about the development. 

The search expedition is scheduled to continue till October 10.