IAF rescues British woman stranded in Ladakh

A British woman stranded in inclement weather conditions at Padam Valley in Zanskar ranges of Ladakh was on Wednesday rescued by a Leh-based helicopter unit of the Indian Air Force.

"Pilots of Leh based helicopter unit evacuated British national Lorna Wilson from the higher reaches of Padam Valley at Tangze Yogma in Zanskar ranges of Ladakh," an official said.

Wilson, a senior member of a "doctor field trip", suffered from acute mountain sickness while on a trip to higher Zanskar ranges. Sources said there was danger of her condition deteriorating into High Altitude Pulmonary Oedema (HAPO).

The British team requested Air Headquarters for emergency air rescue through their embassy.

The Leh-based IAF Unit nicknamed "Siachen Pioneers", received message at 9pm yesterday for evacuation of the foreign national.

A helicopter rescue team, comprising of Wg Cdr P S Babu, Flt Lt Prateek Gupta and Flt Lt Ashish Kumar Nim and led by Wg Cdr Ajay Singh Rajput, carried out the operation.

This was the third rescue operation carried out by the IAF in the last ten days. Earlier, two Czech brothers were evacuated on August 5 and a French national on August 12.