HAL's Vayu Vahan rescues elderly Japanese tourist

Bangalore, Dec 7 (UNI) Vayu Vahan, the air ambulance service recently launched by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), has rescued an 82-year-old Japanese tourist.

Ms Ikeda became immobilised yesterday, after suffering from spinal injuries while travelling in a bus from Goa to Hubli and was treated at a primary care centre at Badami, about 210 km from here.

After its services were sought, The Vayu Vahan, Delhi-based Air Charter Service swung into action and flew to Badami at short notice with a doctor from the city-based Wockhardt hospital.

As there was no helipad at Badami, the copter landed at the nearest helipad at Bagalkot, according to a HAL release here today.

''The operation took ten hours, with 5.30 hours of actual flying and the remaining spent on refuelling and transporting the patient from Badami to Bagalkot,'' HAL Chief Test Pilot Wg Cdr (Retd) C D Upadhyay said.

He said the coordination and communication, critical for the mission, were precise. The response of the district authorities was commendable as they went out of their way to extend all help.

Multiple agencies like Jindal Steel Works, Bagalkot Deputy Commissioner, Wockhardt Hospital, Air Charter Service, International SOS Organisation, Delhi, and an insurance company in Tokyo, were all part of the evacuation the release further said.

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