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By Akshay Dongare, Manjeet Negi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully rescued 121 personnel from a small airstrip at Wadi Sayyidna, about 40 km North of Khartoum in Sudan. The passengers, which included a pregnant woman, had no means to reach Port Sudan.
Led by the Indian Defence Attaché, the convoy reached the airstrip. However, the airstrip had a degraded surface, with no navigational approach aids, fuel, or landing lights (which are required to guide an aircraft landing at night).
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The crew of the C-130J aircraft used their Electro-Optical/Infra Red sensors to ensure the runway was clear and no inimical forces were present. The aircrew then carried out a tactical approach on Night Vision Goggles, in near darkness.
After landing, the aircraft engines were kept running while eight IAF Garud Commandos secured the passengers and their luggage into the aircraft. The takeoff from the unlit runway was also carried out using NVGs.
The operation lasted approximately two and a half hours.
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Published On:
Apr 29, 2023
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