An expedition by the Indian Army recovered the mortal remains of four soldiers from the wreckage of an AN-12 aircraft that crashed in the Lahaul Valley of Himachal Pradesh in 1968. The aircraft, operated by the Indian Air Force (IAF), was carrying 102 Army personnel on a routine flight from Chandigarh to Leh when it tragically went down 56 years ago.
Mayank Chaudhary, Superintendent of Police for the Lahaul-Spiti district, confirmed the discovery on Monday evening via a satellite phone communication from the Army expedition team. The team was conducting a mountaineering expedition in the challenging region of CB-13 (Chandrabhaga-13 Peak), near Batal in Lahaul-Spiti. “Four bodies have been located. Based on preliminary findings, these remains are believed to be from the 1968 IAF crash,” Chaudhary stated.
This recovery is a significant milestone in the long-standing effort to honor those who perished in one of the most tragic incidents in Indian military aviation history. The aircraft, which took off from Chandigarh, encountered severe weather conditions, leading to its crash into the mountainous terrain of Lahaul Valley. Over the years, numerous search operations failed to locate many bodies and debris, leaving them lost in the high-altitude snow-covered region.
ALSO READ: Manipur: AFSPA Extended By Six Months In State Amid Resurgence Of Violence
In 2018, a notable discovery occurred when the remains of the aircraft and one soldier were found at the Dhaka glacier base camp, located at an altitude of 6,200 meters, by a mountaineering team involved in a clean-up expedition. This recovery took several days to identify.
As of now, the expedition team is working on transporting the soldiers’ remains back to Losar for further identification and formalities. The area is extremely challenging to navigate due to the rugged terrain, highlighting the determination and expertise of the Army mountaineering team.
This recent recovery has reignited interest in the 1968 crash, with hopes that further searches will lead to the identification of additional missing soldiers from the disaster.
(With ANI Inputs)