IAF rescues 14 from Arunachal island
Dibrugarh: The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Sunday rescued 14 people, including 13 individuals from Assam's Tinsukia district, who had been stranded for two days on a tiny riverine island in Arunachal Pradesh's Lower Dibang Valley district after flooding of the Dibang river.
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The individuals, all workers at a private power company in Bomjir village, were trapped in the island after incessant rainfall caused the river — an upstream tributary of the Brahmaputra — to swell, cutting off their escape route. While 13 of the youths hailed from Assam's Sadiya in Tinsukia district, one belonged to Arunachal Pradesh.
The group had been stranded since Friday as relentless downpour triggered severe flooding, making it impossible for the local rescue teams or the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to reach them.
As their situation grew increasingly desperate, the Tinsukia district administration stepped in, coordinating with the IAF to launch an aerial rescue mission.
Tinsukia district commissioner Swapneel Paul contacted the IAF's Chabua airbase in Dibrugarh on Saturday, seeking urgent assistance. "Given the rising water levels and the turbulent weather conditions, an aerial rescue was the only viable option," Paul said.
Responding promptly, the IAF deployed an Mi-17 helicopter from its Chabua airbase early on Sunday morning. Braving challenging weather conditions, the crew located the isolated island, before airlifting all 14 individuals to safety.
The helicopter landed back at the Sadiya govt higher secondary school playground, where the family members of the rescued individuals were relieved to see them back. Medical teams conducted immediate health check-ups, confirming that all were in stable condition.
"Food was not a problem, but we had a shortage of drinking water during this period. The NDRF tried, but couldn't reach us. We are thankful to the IAF and the district administration for their prompt action," said one of the rescued youths.
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