NEW DELHI, June 16 (UNI) The Indian Air Force today successfully carried out the rescue of an injured Canadian lady trekker stranded in a deep khud in the mountains north of Dharahala, in Himachal Pradesh.
Ruth Norfalk was rescued early this morning by Air Commodore Raj Assey in a Cheetah helicopter from the Udhampur Air Base.
The trekker had slipped from a height of some 15,000 feet and lay injured in the deep khud unable to move.
IAF Spokesman here Wing Commander Sanjeev Sharma said Air Cmde Assey winched the injured trekker aboard after he was unable to land on the steep and rocky slope.
Norfalk was flown first to the IAF's Air Base in Pathankot where she was administered First Aid subsequently, she was flown to Command Hospital, Chandimandir in a Mi-17 helicopter.
Norfalk had gone trekking with her family some 20 k north of Dharahala yesterday when she slipped.
Subsequently, the Canadian High Commission sought IAF help to rescue her and a Mi-17 helicopter was sent from Udhampur on this mission.
However, no rescue operation could take place yesterday due to bad weather and cloud cover on the higher reaches.
Air Cmde Assey took off at first light this morning to rescue the stranded trekker, Wing Commander Sharma said.
