SRINAGAR: Over two days, the Indian Air Force rescued 22 foreigners stranded in various parts of Ladakh, where all its major rivers are flowing over the danger mark after several days of heavy downpour. According to an IAF spokesman, 21 British nationals and one French national was rescued over Thursday and Friday from high altitude locations.

“After five days of continuous downpour, all major rivers like Indus, Nubra, Shyok and their tributaries in Ladakh region were flowing beyond their danger mark,” an IAF statement said on Saturday. The spokesman said both road and telephone links have been cut off along most major roads. tnn

Air Force Station, Leh, received an SOS message to rescue a group of British citizens who were stranded in the Markha valley. Some members of the group were asthmatic. Two IAF helicopters on Thursday located some trekkers close to Thinlespa village where they had made a temporary “SOS” sign near a rivulet. The distress signal on the ground was instrumental in correctly identifying the location, the IAF said.

“The weather was deteriorating with turbulence, winds and the sun shadow engulfing the landing site in the narrow valley making the situation near critical,” the IAF said.

On Friday morning, Cheetah helicopters rescued the remaining 11 Britishers.

Meanwhile, the IAF received another request for evacuation of a French lady, who was badly injured. She had severe spinal injury and broken ribs when she was rescued, the statement said.

