IAF recovers remains of Antonov An-12 that had crashed 51 years ago

The Indian Air Force on August 18 recovered parts from an aircraft that had gone missing over 51 years ago while flying to Leh Airport from Chandigarh. 

The aircraft, an An-17, had crashed in the mountains near the Rohtang Pass.The ill-fated aircraft had taken flight on February 7,1968, but ended up crashing in the mountains, claiming all 102 lives on board. The Western Command of the Indian Air Force had launched the search operation in a bid to bring back the mortal remains of those who were deceased.

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The operation was initiated on July 26 and after 13 days of relentless search in a joint rescue op with the Dogra Scouts, the parts were recovered from the Dhaka Glacier situated 5240 meters above sea level. According to reports, the aircraft was on its way back to Chandigarh Air Force Base. Among the objects recovered from the debris were personal belongings of those who perished during the crash. Other parts included aero engine, fuselage, electric circuits, propeller, fuel tank unit, air brake assembly and a cockpit door, as per a statement by a spokesperson for the Western Command of the IAF.

The surrounding areas of the glacier were full of snow from the past and the current avalanches. The search op faced barriers because of the extremely low tempratures and the risky slopes at the crash-site. As with many crashes and disappearances of flights and ships, when this particular incident had taken place, conspiracy theories were abundant, with some having claimed that the aircraft had been forced to land in enemy territory. 

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However, a 2003 mountaineering expedition shed light on the case when one trekker found an ID card of one of the crewmen. The discovery had since given hope to the families of the deceased. Even so, just five bodies have been found till date.