The Indian Air Force (IAF) rescued two children who were stranded overnight on top of a water reservoir in Uttar Pradesh’s Siddharthnagar district in the wee hours of Sunday, officials said.
Five children got stuck on Saturday after climbing the structure, allegedly to make a winch. A 10-year-old boy died when the staircase of a defunct water tank collapsed as children began to descend. Two others – Golu (12), Sunny (14) – fell and remain in critical condition.
“There was an incident when five children climbed the water tank to record a reel and when the steps broke, three of them fell from the water tank. One child died and two others are undergoing treatment at the medical college,” the district magistrate told PTI.
The remaining two children, Pavan (14) and Shaban (12), who were stuck on top of the tank, were safely rescued around 5.20 am by an Indian Air Force helicopter, officials told PTI.
The operation took about 15 minutes. They were later taken to Gorakhpur for treatment.
How the rescue operation took place
Efforts were made overnight to build an alternate route to reach the stranded children, but rain disrupted those operations, prompting authorities to seek air help, the district magistrate said, thanking Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
The rescue operation was carried out on the instructions of CM Yogi Adityanath, who immediately took cognizance of the incident and directed officials to ensure that the stranded children are brought down safely without any negligence, according to the statement.
According to PTI, Siddharthnagar District Magistrate (DM) Shivsharanappa said that the rescue operation was carried out in close coordination with the Air Force and the state administration, maintaining round-the-clock communication during the planning phase.
“As part of our planning, we have been in constant touch with Air Force officials. Thanks to the Chief Minister’s Office. Their coordination made this possible. Around 5:30 am, an Air Force helicopter rescued two children and they are safe. The helicopter landed directly in Gorakhpur,” he said.
According to the Central Air Command (CAC) of the IAF, the operation was launched at the request of state government authorities after children were stuck on top of the structure due to damage to the access ladder.
In a post on X, CAC, IAF wrote, “At the request of state government authorities, an IAF Mi-17 V5 of the Central Air Command (CAC) was deployed to rescue two stranded children who were stranded on top of a water tank at Sidharth Nagar in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.
“The children were stranded at night when the ladder of the water tank was damaged. The rescue mission once again shows the professionalism and commitment of the IAF to save lives with quick response in times of emergency.”
Officials confirmed that both children were safe after the rescue. Further details are awaited.
