275 stranded passengers airlifted between J&K and Ladakh

Kargil/Jammu, Feb 22 (PTI) A total of 275 passengers were airlifted between the twin Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on Wednesday, an official spokesman said.

Due to the closure of the Srinagar-Leh national highway and bad weather for the past few days, the stranded passengers of Kargil at Jammu and Srinagar were unable to utilise the services of AN-32 Kargil Courier, he said.

On the recommendations of the Civil Aviation Department Ladakh, the spokesman said, the Indian Air Force (IAF) provided the facility of IL-76 aircraft which transported 193 passengers from Jammu to Leh, while 57 passengers were airlifted in two sorties of AN-32 between Srinagar and Kargil.

Ten passengers were airlifted from Kargil to Jammu in one sortie of AN-32 and 15 more passengers between Kargil and Srinagar in B-3 helicopter, he said.

The spokesman said the passengers were assisted at the airports by liaison officers and assistant liaison officers deputed at the respective locations of Jammu, Srinagar, Kargil and Leh.