IAF airlifts over 300 people stranded in J&K, Ladakh due to snowfall

Jammu, Mar 23 (PTI) As many as 328 people who were stranded at various places in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh due to heavy snowfall were airlifted by the Indian Air Force on Saturday, an official said.

A total of 3,442 people have been airlifted so far under the ‘Kargil courier’ service by the IAF in coordination with the civil administration since its launch on January 22, he said.

Heavy snowfall has led to the closure of the 434-km Srinagar-Leh National Highway.

“Two aircraft of Kargil courier airlifted 328 passengers on Saturday. While 144 passengers were airlifted from Srinagar to Kargil in three sorties of AN-32, 12 passengers were airlifted from Kargil to Srinagar,” the official said.

Similarly, 164 passengers availed the service from Jammu to Kargil in three sorties and eight passengers from Kargil to Jammu, the official said.