NEW DELHI: The Indian Army’s relentless pursuit to give closure to the families of its comrades lost more than five decades back has borne success with the recovery of four bodies. The identity of only three of them could be confirmed. The Army’s Dogra Scouts led search and rescue mission has been launched to recover the remains of personnel from the ill-fated Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Antonov (AN)-12 transport aircraft, which crashed on Rohtang Pass in 1968.The mission, including representatives of Tiranga Mountain Rescue, is part of the larger Chandra Bhaga Mountain Expedition. The Army said “The joint team has recovered the remains of four more individuals from the site, marking a significant success in one of India’s longest-running search and recovery operations.”The tragedy dates back to February 7, 1968, when an IAF AN-12 aircraft, carrying 102 passengers, went missing after taking off from Chandigarh and encountering severe weather conditions near the Rohtang Pass. “For decades, the wreckage and remains of the victims remained lost in the icy terrain. It was only in 2003 when mountaineers from the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering discovered the wreckage”, Army added.But, it has been a long drawn mission with the Army launching multiple expeditions over the years, especially by the Dogra Scouts, who have been at the forefront of search missions in 2005, 2006, 2013, and 2019. Despite the treacherous conditions and unforgiving terrain, only five bodies were recovered by 2019. However, the ChandraBhaga Mountain Expedition has now recovered four additional bodies, bringing renewed hope to the families of the deceased and the nation.
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