Fifty-six years after an Indian Air Force (IAF) plane carrying 102 passengers crashed near the Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh, the Indian Army has recovered four more bodies from the accident site. The AN-12 aircraft went missing on February 7, 1968, shortly after taking off from Chandigarh. Severe weather conditions near the Rohtang Pass caused the plane to crash, and for decades, the wreckage and remains of the victims were buried beneath the icy terrain.
The recent recovery is part of an ongoing search and rescue mission led by the Dogra Scouts in collaboration with Tiranga Mountain Rescue, under the larger Chandra Bhaga Mountain Expedition. This mission has focused on locating the wreckage and remains of the passengers who were on board the ill-fated flight.
The first discovery of the wreckage was made in 2003 by mountaineers from the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering, which led to several expeditions over the years. The Indian Army, particularly the Dogra Scouts, have conducted multiple search operations in 2005, 2006, 2013, and 2019, each aiming to recover more remains. Until 2019, only five bodies had been recovered from the crash site. Now, with the discovery of four additional bodies, the total count of recovered victims has risen to nine.
Of the four recently recovered bodies, three have been identified through personal items found on their persons. Malkhan Singh, a Pioneer, was identified by a voucher discovered in his pocket. Sepoy Narayan Singh from the Army Medical Corps was identified through his paybook, and Craftsman Thomas Charan from the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME) was also identified through his paybook.
The fourth body has yet to be identified, but the Army has discovered details related to the individual’s family and has informed them of the development. The search and recovery efforts, despite the treacherous and harsh terrain, are set to continue until October 10, according to the Indian Army.
The ongoing efforts by the Indian Army to locate and identify the victims of the 1968 crash highlight the dedication to bringing closure to the families of those who lost their lives in the tragic incident. Each new discovery brings hope and a sense of closure for those who have waited for over five decades.
