IAF airlifts 192 from strife-hit Sudan in 24-hour 'non-stop op'

NEW DELHI: In another "remarkable" rescue mission from conflict-torn Sudan, a C-17 Globemaster-III aircraft of the IAF airlifted 192 people in a "non-stop operation of nearly 24 hours", with a refuelling halt at Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, on Thursday.
India has so far managed to move 3,862 people out of Sudan after launching 'Operation Kaveri'. The C-17 mission comes after the IAF had deployed a C-130J 'Super Hercules' aircraft to rescue 121 Indians from a small airstrip at Wadi Seyidna airport, which is about 40-km north of Khartoum in Sudan, in "a daring night operation" on April 27-28.
The C-17, in turn, took off from the Hindon airbase in the intervening night between Wednesday and Thursday. The aircraft flew through the night to land in the early morning hours at Jeddah. "It took excess fuel at Jeddah to avoid a situation of non-availability of fuel and delays in Sudan," an IAF officer said.
"The mission was one of a kind, with the aircraft carrying mostly ladies, children and elderly persons, who were either NRIs, foreign nationals or OCIs (Overseas Citizens of India). They were not permitted to land at Jeddah, and hence were required to be flown directly to India in a nonstop flight by the heavy jet," he added.
At Sudan, the aircraft carried out "an overhead steep tactical arrival followed by an assault approach" to land at the airfield. During the entire duration on the ground, the aircraft engines were kept running in readiness for a quick exit, the officer said.
"The crew encountered another unplanned emergency when one of the passengers became unconscious during the flight. The situation was proficiently handled by the crew who administered him 100% oxygen to stabilise him. The aircraft landed at Ahmedabad late in the evening on Thursday," he added.