Chandigarh: The wreckage of an Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft that had gone missing 51 years ago have been recovered by the Dogra Scouts in the icy mountains of Himachal Pradesh, killing all 102 people on board, the Indian Army said on Sunday.
The Western Command launched an operation on July 26 to recover the mortal remains of over 90 missing soldiers who were on board the AN-12 BL-534 aircraft which went missing over the Rohtang Pass in Kullu district on February 7, 1968.
After 13 days of rigorous search and recovery operation in the Dhaka Glacier at an altitude of 5,240 metres, the team recovered parts of the aircraft like the aero-engine, fuselage, electric circuits, propeller, fuel tank unit, air brake assembly and a cockpit door, it said in a statement.
The Indian Air Force joined the expedition team on August 6 to intensify the search operations.
In 1968, the aircraft carrying 98 defence personnel was just about to land at its destination when the pilot was ordered to turn back due to poor weather conditions. But on its way back, the aircraft lost contact with he ground control while flying over Rohtang Pass.
