NEW DELHI: India has rushed a team of Air Force officials along with a recovery kit by a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft to Kathmandu, to help in operations to clear the runway after a Turkish plane skidded off the runway on Wednesday.
The C-130J ferried 11 personnel of Air India and the recovery kit to Kathmandu airport where the usable runway length has been reduced to only about 5000 ft, making it impossible for any commercial aircraft to land.
The C-130J was chosen as it has the capability to land on restricted surfaces, IAF officials said.
The IAF personnel will help remove the aircraft from the runway using the recovery kit.
The IAF received the the request for assistance at about 1900 hrs on March 4. The Operations Staff at Air HQ and at the Hindan-based C-130J Unit swung into action and planning continued till late in the night.
An Accident Recovery Kit was immediately brought in from Mumbai by an Air India aircraft. By The customs and immigration formalities of these personnel was organized by the Air Force authorities at Palam.
The C-130J left for Kathmandu at 1107 hrs today after finishing off all customs and immigration formalities with 7.5 tone of load and 11 technical crew from Air India, an official statement said.
