IAF evacuates 9 Spanish rescuers from Nepal's earthquake-hit area

KATHMANDU: In a dramatic operation, the Indian Air Force today evacuated nine Spanish rescue workers along with two of their dogs from a completely destroyed village in the Lantang area of earthquake-hit Nepal minutes before heavy snowfall.

Spanish Ambassador to India Gustavo de Aristegui had yesterday met with IAF's Task Force Commander Air Vice Marshal Upkarjit Singh and requested help in search of 17 Spaniards, who were still missing, defence sources in New Delhi said.

Spain had sent a group of nine rescue workers in search of them day before yesterday.

"The IAF today received an emergency request for evacuating the Spanish rescue workers. When the IAF chopper reached the designated area, they could not be found and hence an aerial search was launched. One of the pilot spotted them on a trail and had to make a hard landing," a source said.

Minutes after the helicopter took off, the area was hit by severe snowfall.