IAF sets a world record with Uttarakhand rescue that saved 20,000 civilians

[dbc]

Refer the first sentence under the picture:



The operational words are civilians, air-lifted and peace time.

The total number of civilians evacuated was an astonishing 120,000. 20,000+ were airlifted.

Thanks, I think there have been much larger peace time operations. Of the top of my head, USAF and the National Guard evacuated the city of New Orleans in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

 

[janon]

Thanks, I think there have been much larger peace time operations. Of the top of my head, USAF and the National Guard evacuated the city of New Orleans in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

I know, but were the evacuations heli-borne? If I remember, most of the evacuations were done by road.

In this case, most of the roads were washed away by the deluge, and the only way to access the pilgrimage spots on mountain tops was by helicopters.

BTW, the largest evacuation by a civilian airliner was by Air India, when it evacuated 110,000 people from the Persian gulf just after the start of the first gulf war in 1991.

 

[Ayush]

Heroic operation indeed. Wish IAF all the best in disaster relief. But nowhere else

 

[manojb]

Thanks, I think there have been much larger peace time operations. Of the top of my head, USAF and the National Guard evacuated the city of New Orleans in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

In case of Katrina, National guard and other rescue were all ready for action with at least week of prior notification all prepared and ready to go, unlike Uttarakhand flood. Norleans was flat land compared to Himalayas!
Commendable operation by National guards and even greater work by US weather service during Katrina!!

 

[Azizam]

Well done Indian Air Force

 

[dbc]

I know, but were the evacuations heli-borne?

Not counting fixed wing ,road or rail evacuation. 12,786 helicopter sorties were flown by USAF, Coast Guard and National Guard and rescued 15,000 citizens, and evacuated 80,000 victims of Hurricane Katrina.

 

[T90TankGuy]

Only 3 remain in service with only 1 being available at anyone time apparently.

Actually 10 were bought in the 80s , only 4 made it to the IAF. the rest went to the ARC.

 

[janon]

Not counting fixed wing ,road or rail evacuation. 12,786 helicopter sorties were flown by USAF, Coast Guard and National Guard and rescued 15,000 citizens, and evacuated 80,000 victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The USAF itself flew 648 sorties, of which 599 were SAR missions, rescuing 4322 people. The national guard, army, navy, marine corps and coast guard together rescued 15,000 people by helicopter. In other words, the entire US war machine was involved. The IAF alone rescued 20,000 by helicopters. The army aviation wing also evacuated a smaller number by helicopters.

http://www.afhra.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-070912-046.pdf

Also, the terms "evacuation" and "rescue" should not be confused. In case of Katrina, most of the airlift was to evacuate people from shelters like the super dome. In Uttarakhand, the airlift was mostly to rescue people from mountain tops that had never seen roads or electricity or telephone poles, and jungles and ravines. Isolated groups of small number of people had to be searched for and evacuated by helicopters as well as special forces. That is very different from flying thousands of people huddled together in shelters to other cities.

The total number of people termed as "rescued" by the helicopters of all the US forces is 15,000. Of which 4322 were rescued by the USAF. So I suppose the IAF can still claim a record. In any case, for issues like this, statistics and records are secondary. What is important is that the IAF successfully averted a huge impending tragedy, when an unexpected cloud burst happened at the wrong place at the wrong time (during the pilgrimage season).

So record or no record, the job done by the IAF was commendable.

 

[dbc]

The USAF itself flew 648 sorties, of which 599 were SAR missions, rescuing 4322 people. The national guard, army, navy, marine corps and coast guard together rescued 15,000 people by helicopter. In other words, the entire US war machine was involved. The IAF alone rescued 20,000 by helicopters. The army aviation wing also evacuated a smaller number by helicopters.

http://www.afhra.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-070912-046.pdf

Also, the terms "evacuation" and "rescue" should not be confused. In case of Katrina, most of the airlift was to evacuate people from shelters like the super dome. In Uttarakhand, the airlift was mostly to rescue people from mountain tops that had never seen roads or electricity or telephone poles, and jungles and ravines. Isolated groups of small number of people had to be searched for and evacuated by helicopters as well as special forces. That is very different from flying thousands of people huddled together in shelters to other cities.

The total number of people termed as "rescued" by the helicopters of all the US forces is 15,000. Of which 4322 were rescued by the USAF. So I suppose the IAF can still claim a record. In any case, for issues like this, statistics and records are secondary. What is important is that the IAF successfully averted a huge impending tragedy, when an unexpected cloud burst happened at the wrong place at the wrong time (during the pilgrimage season).

So record or no record, the job done by the IAF was commendable.

According to the link you provided (last page).

Although not technically part of the Defense Department, the Coast Guard also played a major role. The Pentagon flew 12,786 helicopter sorties, rescued 15,000 citizens, and transported 80,000 people in one of the largest mass evacuations in history. From nine regional military bases, the Defense Department distributed huge quantities of equipment and supplies, including more than 30 million meals. The Pentagon’s response to Hurricane Katrina was the largest deployment of military forces for a civil-support mission in U.S. history.

 

[janon]

According to the link you provided (last page).

Yes, and isn't that precisely what I said? Read the two sentences preceding the part you quoted, to put it in context of what I said:

The immense contribution of the Air Force in Hurricane Katrina disaster relief
was only a fraction of the total Defense Department effort, which involved elements of
10the National Guard, the Army, Navy, and the Marine Corps. Although not technically
part of the Defense Department, the Coast Guard also played a major role. The Pentagon
flew 12,786 helicopter sorties, rescued 15,000 citizens, and transported 80,000 people in
one of the largest mass evacuations in history.

 

[Gandhi G in da house]

Great job Indian Air Force.

 

[Sergi]

Only 3 remain in service with only 1 being available at anyone time apparently.

Thats a shame. No matter how many advantages Chinook has over it Mi-26 will always the best choice for heavy lift

 

[confound thinker]

Ya the armed forces are probably the best institutions in India.The have been the only people stepping up to each and every occasion,whatever it may be.

 

[Bobby]

Long live IAF...Aap ke liye to jaan bhi hazir hai...

 

[Shardul.....the lion]

Well done IAF........