IAF Siachen Pioneers Evacuate Four Stranded NCC Cadets From Treacherous Ladakh Pass

Indian Air Force helicopters carried out an urgent first-light rescue mission to evacuate four National Cadet Corps (NCC) women cadets from an altitude of 18,500 feet in Ladakh, after they ran into distress while participating in the all-India women cadets high-altitude trek, Aparajita – Parang La 2026. The operation was executed by the IAF's Siachen Pioneers helicopter unit, based in Leh, in response to an SOS call from the trekking team. The rescue mission unfolded in some of the most demanding conditions the IAF regularly encounters in the region, with low air density, difficult mountainous terrain and the absence of a prepared helipad at the evacuation site posing significant operational challenges.

Despite these constraints, the helicopter crew executed a precise landing at the high-altitude location and successfully evacuated the four cadets, subsequently flying them to Leh for further medical treatment. A defence spokesperson in Leh described the operation as a demonstration of the IAF's professionalism and its role as a first responder during both war and peacetime. The cadets were part of the Aparajita – Parang La 2026 expedition, a flagship adventure activity of the NCC that was flagged off by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at an event in New Delhi on August 18.

The 30-day trek, covering approximately 250 kilometres through some of the most remote stretches of the Himalayas, traces a route through Kibber, Dumla, Thaltak, Bongrojen, Parang La Pass, Dak Karzong, Norbu Sumdo, Kiangdom and Korzok, crossing high-altitude deserts, glaciers, snowfields and river valleys along the way. The expedition's centrepiece is the crossing of the Parang La Pass at 5,578 metres, or roughly 18,300 feet, which connects the Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh with the Changthang region of Ladakh and is regarded as one of the country's most physically demanding trekking routes. The trekking team comprises three women officers, representing the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, along with 28 girl cadets whose average age is around 19 years; the youngest participant is just 16-and-a-half years old.

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The final team was selected on merit following a preparatory and acclimatisation trek conducted earlier in the Bhaba-Pin Valley sector. Rajnath Singh, at the flag-off ceremony, had described the expedition as a life lesson in resilience, confidence and self-discovery, while urging participants to prioritise safety, follow instructor guidance closely and adopt a zero-waste approach to protect the fragile Himalayan ecosystem. The evacuation adds to a long history of high-altitude rescue operations carried out by the IAF's Siachen Pioneers unit, which regularly supports both military personnel and civilians stranded in Ladakh's harsh terrain.

The unit and Army Aviation Corps helicopters are frequently called upon to assist trekkers, mountaineers and soldiers affected by altitude sickness, avalanches, landslides and other medical emergencies linked to the region's thin air and extreme weather. In more serious cases, patients evacuated to Leh are subsequently airlifted by fixed-wing aircraft to larger medical centres in cities such as Chandigarh, Srinagar or Jammu for advanced treatment, underscoring the critical role air support plays in sustaining both military operations and adventure activities across one of the country's most challenging high-altitude regions.

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