In a one-of-a-kind non-stop operation, the Indian Air Force flew through the night on May 3 from Uttar Pradesh’s Hindan Airport and rescued 192 Indian citizens stranded in the strife-torn African nation Sudan.
The aircraft stopped at Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah for a refuel, where it took excess fuel to a situation of non-availability of fuel in case of any unforeseen delays in Sudan.
The Air Force flew its C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft and followed the route of Hindan-Jeddah-Sudan and landed in Ahmedabad in Gujarat. The rescue operation lasted for nearly twenty-four hours without a break.
The aircraft rescued some of the last remaining Indian citizens in the war-torn country. These were mostly women, children and elderly persons, who either were NRIs, foreign nationals or OCIs (Overseas Citizens of India).
These people were not permitted a landing at Jeddah, and hence were flown directly to India in a nonstop flight by the heavy jet.
At Sudan, the aircraft carried out an overhead steep tactical arrival followed by an assault approach to land the heavy jet.
While it was on ground in Sudan, the aircraft engines were kept running in readiness of a quick exit from the airfield.
The crew encountered a medical emergency when one of the passengers became unconscious during the flight. The passenger was stablised by giving oxygen by the crew.
The aircraft landed at Ahmedabad late in the evening on May 4, and returned to its home base in Hindan the same day.
India’s Operation Kaveri
India has rescued nearly 3,800 people from Sudan under Operation Kaveri, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.
Before this, on May 2, as many as 231 Indians, were evacuated under the Centre’s ‘Operation Kaveri.’
Under ‘Operation Kaveri’, India has been taking its citizens on buses from the conflict zones of Khartoum and other troubled areas to Port Sudan from where they are being taken to the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah on Indian Air Force’s heavy-lift transport aircraft and Indian Navy’s ships.
From Jeddah, the Indians are being brought back home on either commercial flights or IAF’s aircraft.
The African nation has been witnessing deadly fighting between the country’s army and a paramilitary group that has reportedly left around 400 people dead.
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