Srinagar, Aug 1 (PTI) A military transport helicopter Tuesday came to the rescue of a private operator providing heli-services for the Amarnath Yatra pilgrims after its single-engine copter developed some snag at the Panchtarni helipad of the pilgrimage, officials said.

A Mi 17 V5 helicopter of the Air Force successfully recovered an AS-350 helicopter operated by a private operator from the Panchtarni helipad, the officials said.

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They said the challenging mission involved a complex underslung operation from a helipad located at a dizzying elevation of 11500 ft.

After lifting the underslung helicopter, the Mi-17 V5 pilots had to skilfully manoeuvre within steep and narrow gorges in the vicinity of the Amarnath cave shrine, with a very limited margin for error, the officials said.

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The crew displayed immaculate planning, systematic preparation and exceptional flying skills in recovering the damaged helicopter, they said.

As a result of the removal of the AS-350 helicopter, the Panchtarni helipad has been made available for use during the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, they added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)