Bodies of Tirap DC, chopper crew retrieved

Chopper crash

Our Correspondent

Itagar, Aug 12: The bodies of Tirap deputy commissioner Dr Kamlesh Kumar Joshi, captains M S Brar and Rajeev Hoskote of Dauphin VT-PHK Pawan Hans helicopter were retrieved from the crash site and brought to Khonsa on Wednesday evening before being sent to their tive places from Dibrugarh.

Highly trained commandos of Gulmohar-based High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) of the Indian army in Jammu & Kashmir reached the crash site early in the morning and the bodies were air lifted, Aruchal Pradesh civil aviation secretary B M Mishra informed.

The team, which had arrived on Tuesday night, were airlifted by the Indian Air Force chopper and air dropped at the tough hilly terrain where the Dauphin VT-PHK Pawan Hans helicopter crashed on August 4 last.

The good weather condition facilitated the smooth search operation during the day, DGP S Nithiandam informed.

The massive search operation involving Tirap and Changlang district administrations, Army, Assam Rifles and police personnel, IAF's Ml-17, Cheetah helicopters, Sukhoi MKI30, and EW Boeing and the civilians were launched since August 4 while Dr Joshi's wife Neha and brother Maj Rajesh Joshi had been waiting at Khonsa since August 6 last impatiently for any news.

The operation, though hindered by bad weather, succeeded in recovering the tail portion of the chopper from area about 4-5 km away from Sangliam village in a hill covered with dense forest on Monday last, Mishra added.