IAF airlifts 260 stranded passengers between J&K, Ladakh

Srinagar, Feb 26: The Indian Air Force (IAF) airlifted as many as 260 stranded passengers between the twin Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, officials said on Monday.

With the fresh load, a total of 1,551 passengers were airlifted so far inAN-32 aircraft, also known as Kargil courier, since launch of the service on January 22 following closure of the 434-km Srinagar-Leh national highway owing to heavy snowfall, officials said.

“A total of 260 passengers were airlifted in Kargil courier on Monday. While 113 passengers were airlifted from Srinagar to Kargil and another 93 from Jammu to Kargil, 38 were airlifted from Kargil to Srinagar and 16 others from Kargil to Jammu in two separate aircrafts,” the official said.

It is worthwhile to mention that the Kargil courier service operates three days a week between Jammu and Srinagar, and twice a week between Srinagar and Kargil to facilitate the stranded passengers.