Indian Armed Forces are known to always step up in times of need, even when it is times of humanitarian crisis. Amid heavy snowfall across Himachal Pradesh that blocked road connectivity to several remote villages, the Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out an urgent medical evacuation of an 85-year-old paralysed woman from Dhanderwari village.
The patient was safely airlifted to Chandigarh in a Cheetah helicopter, highlighting the Air Force’s critical role as a first responder in humanitarian emergencies. According to the IAF, the woman was stable following the timely intervention by the aircrew and medical team.
What were the operational challenges of the mission?
Serving as the first responder, the IAF provided humanitarian assistance, carrying out the evacuation at an altitude of 9,000 feet above mean sea level (AMSL) under snowfall and low-visibility conditions, making it a demanding high-altitude operation. Visuals released by the IAF showed personnel carefully carrying the patient on a stretcher and loading her into the helicopter amid adverse weather.
“In an IAF Cheetah helicopter undertook an urgent medical evacuation of an 85 Year-old paralysed woman from Dhanderwari, Himachal Pradesh (9,000 ft AMSL) to Chandigarh,” the IAF’s Media Co-ordination Centre posted on X, adding that the life-saving mission was completed despite snowfall and poor visibility.
Following fresh snowfall, all road links to Dhanderwari were cut off, leaving airlift as the only viable means to access advanced medical care. The mission came as parts of Himachal Pradesh reported significant snowfall, with Shillaroo and Kothi receiving around 5 cm, while the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned of thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds in the region.
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What makes Cheetah helicopter suitable for such missions
The Cheetah helicopter, a five-seater high-performance aircraft, is specifically suited for high-altitude and all-weather operations. Identical to the LAMA SA 315B helicopter of Eurocopter, France, the platform is known for its exceptional manoeuvrability and reliability in mountainous terrain.
IAF’s Cheetah helicopter is a versatile, multi-role aircraft, designed to operate across a wide range of weights, centres of gravity, and altitude conditions – making it indispensable for disaster relief, casualty evacuation, and logistics support in India’s Himalayan regions. It holds the world record in high altitude flying among all categories of Helicopters.
The helicopter is suitable for commuting, observation, surveillance, logistics support, rescue operations and high altitude missions.
Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force has consistently acted as a lifeline during natural disasters, from floods and earthquakes to landslides and snowbound emergencies, beyond its combat role. This latest mission in Himachal Pradesh once again underscores the IAF’s ability to rapidly mobilise assets, operate in extreme environments.