1968 plane crash: 56 years after IAF plane crash, body of Army soldier brought to his native village in Saharanpur

The remains of Sepoy Malkhan Singh, who lost his life in the 1968 Indian Air Force (IAF) AN-12 aircraft crash near Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh, were returned to his home village in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, on Wednesday. A significant crowd gathered to honor the soldier.

On September 30, an Indian Army expedition successfully retrieved the remains of four soldiers from the wreckage of the AN-12, which went down in the Lahaul valley over fifty years ago. The ill-fated flight, carrying 102 Army personnel, was en route from Chandigarh to Leh when tragedy struck.

This recent recovery is part of a meticulous effort to locate the remains of those lost in one of the most devastating accidents in Indian military aviation history. The AN-12 had encountered severe weather conditions, leading to its crash in the rugged Lahaul valley, and despite numerous search operations over the years, many bodies and debris remained lost in the high-altitude, snow-laden region.

In 2018, the remains of the aircraft and one soldier were found at the Dhaka glacier base camp at an altitude of 6,200 meters, recovered by mountaineers on a clean-up expedition to the Chandrabhaga-13 peak.

This latest discovery has reignited interest in the 1968 crash, with hopes that these recoveries might eventually uncover the whereabouts of other missing soldiers. The ongoing expedition is set to continue searching the area for additional remains and clues related to the crash that may still be concealed in the challenging terrain.