The Indian Air Force carried out the rescue of two NRI women tourists using their Cheetah helicopter from the forests in the state of Himachal Pradesh, located in northern India.

The incident took place at Teesri village enroute Churdhar trekking route in Sirmaur on May 11.

Visuals captured the officials carefully transporting the woman on a stretcher, while in another scene, the helicopter could be seen lifting off into the sky.

The two NRI women tourists had embarked on their journey on Friday but encountered difficulty in Teesri, where one of them, who had sustained a spinal injury, struggled to manage the challenging ascent. At 4:00 pm, Nohradhar police received notification about the duo and initiated their rescue operation.

Upon receiving the distress call, a state disaster response force team also mobilized to Teesri for assistance. Deputy Commissioner (DC) Sumit Khimta of Sirmaur district confirmed the reports of the stranded tourists and coordinated with various authorities, including the home ministry, air force, ministry of external affairs, and local officials, recognizing the involvement of NRI women in the rescue effort.

Arrangements were made for their airlift at 11:00 am, as communicated by DC Sumit Khimta. The district administration located the women approximately 10 kilometers beyond the base camp the previous night. They were identified as Richa Abhay Sonawane and Sonia Rattan, with Richa hailing from West Bengal, born in Darjeeling in 1980, and Sonia, born in India in 1978, who had previously undergone spinal surgery due to an injury.

Both individuals hold US citizenship and were promptly transported to a hospital in Chandigarh for medical treatment after their rescue. SDM Sangrah Sunil Kaith, accompanied by a team comprising DSP Sangrah Mukesh Kumar, medical personnel, and support staff, rushed to Teesri upon receiving the distress call. Medical aid was provided to the women by Shalini Negi after they were examined.

The local administration issued a warning to tourists, urging them to inform authorities before venturing onto the trail and to adhere to the main track for their safety