At 7:30 AM on June 7, three Indian Air Force (IAF) Mi-17 helicopters touched down at Pakyong Greenfield Airport, carrying the last 76 army personnel stranded in Chaten, North Sikkim. This marked the end of one of the most complex rescue missions in recent Himalayan history. This mission saved over 1,600 tourists and 76 soldiers from landslides that had cut off entire towns for days.
The Final Liftoff: 76 Soldiers Saved as Chaten Evacuation Ends
The operation, led by the IAF in coordination with the Indian Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and Border Roads Organisation (BRO), unfolded under relentless rain and near-zero visibility. “The air evacuation operation from Chaten has concluded today,” confirmed an official, signalling the end of a week-long battle against nature’s fury.
Disaster Strikes: How Sikkim Was Cut Off
The crisis began on May 30, when a cloudburst and 130 mm of rainfall triggered massive landslides along key roads, including the Dikchu–Sanklang–Shipgyere and Chungthang-Lachen routes. The landslides buried highways, snapped bridges, and isolated the tourist hubs of Lachen, Lachung, and Chungthang, stranding thousands, including foreign nationals.
Then, on June 1, disaster struck deeper. A landslide engulfed an army camp in Chaten at 7 PM, killing Havaldar Lakhwinder Singh, Lance Naik Munish Thakur, and Porter Abhishek Lakhada. Four were injured, and six personnel, including Lt. Col. Pritpal Singh Sandhu, his wife, and daughter, went missing.
Phase 1: The Tourist Rescue – 1,678 Evacuated by Road and Air
With roads buried, the BRO worked round-the-clock to clear a single lane to Lachung by June 3, enabling a ground evacuation of 1,678 tourists, including 380 children, in 284 vehicles and 16 motorbikes.
For those in the worst-hit zones, helicopters were the only hope. IAF Mi-17s and Cheetahs flew 22 sorties, airlifting 140+ tourists and dropping 6,000 kg of relief supplies. On June 5, 63 tourists, including two Americans, were rescued in a single day.
Phase 2: The Chaten Airlift – 76 Soldiers in 3 Helicopter Sorties
While tourists were evacuated, 76 soldiers remained trapped in Chaten, their camp partially destroyed. On June 7, the IAF launched a precision operation:
- 3 Mi-17 helicopters shuttled between Chaten and Pakyong.
- Each sortie carried 25–30 soldiers, navigating narrow valleys and sudden weather shifts.
“The terrain was brutal. One misjudgment and the rotor could hit a cliff,” an IAF officer later said.
The Heroes Behind the Rescue
- Indian Air Force: Flew Mi-17s and Cheetahs in near-zero visibility.
- Indian Army: Provided ground intel and medical aid and searched for missing soldiers.
- NDRF/SDRF: Evacuated civilians on foot through landslide zones.
- BRO: Reopened roads within 72 hours using bulldozers and explosives.
Mangan District Collector Anant Jain called it a “textbook example of inter-agency teamwork.”
The Missing Six: Search Efforts Continue
Despite the success, the mission isn’t over. Six personnel, including Lt. Col. Sandhu’s family, remain missing. Specialised teams, including those with sniffer dogs and drones, are combing through the debris. Still, unstable soil and fresh landslides hinder progress.
Why This Rescue Was Historic
- Scale: 1,600+ civilians + 76 soldiers across 100+ sq. km of disaster zone.
- Speed: All tourists evacuated in 5 days; soldiers in 7.
- Risk: Helicopters flew at 10,000+ feet, dodging storms.
The Bigger Lesson: Himalayas Under Siege
Sikkim’s disaster mirrors a growing crisis: climate change is destabilising the Himalayas. In 2024, Uttarakhand saw similar landslides. Experts warn that infrastructure and early-warning systems must adapt.
