IAF rescues seven persons trapped between two streams of river in Kathua

Indian Air Force has rescued seven persons after they got trapped between two streams of Ujh river in Kathua district on Thursday.

They were rescued almost 34 hours after they got trapped.

An official release said that Jammu area was battered with incessant rains and a message was received in the late afternoon regarding a group of villagers stranded on a marooned island inside the overflowing river Ujh south of Dhaloti.

An Indian Air Force helicopter of MI 17 Helicopter unit at Jammu was immediately pressed into service to rescue the villagers.

The helicopter captained by Wg Cdr Mukul Khare and Sqn Ldr Vinay Padaki reached over the rescue spot.

The release said that the crew quickly selected an appropriate spot to position the helicopter as close as possible to the ground and next to the marooned villagers since no suitable space was available for landing.

Two Garud Special Forces commandoes were then lowered onto the island and reached the survivors and guided them to reach the helicopter.

A total of seven persons including three women and three children were then evacuated to the nearest landing ground available in a village next to the banks of Ujh river.

"The IAF responded swiftly and rescued the individuals before the water level could rise to dangerous level during the night," the release said.

The mission was closely coordinated by Chief of Operations at Jammu Air Base Gp Capt Sandeep Singh.

( With inputs from ANI )