Shillong, April 29: 121 people were successfully rescued by the Indian Air Force (IAF) from a small airport in Wadi Sayyidna, Sudan, which is located about 40 km to the north of Khartoum. The passengers, among them a pregnant woman, lacked transportation to Port Sudan.
The convoy arrived at the airstrip under the command of the Indian Defence Attaché. The airfield, however, was in poor condition and lacked landing lights (which are necessary to guide an aircraft landing at night), fuel, or navigational approach aids.
The C-130J crew used their Electro-Optical/Infra Red sensors to check that the runway was free of obstructions and hostile forces. Then, in nearly complete darkness, the aircrew executed a tactical approach while wearing night vision goggles (NVG).
After landing, the aircraft’s engines continued to run as eight IAF Garud Commandos secured the plane and passengers as well as their belongings. NVGs were also used during the runway departure from an unlit area.
