Families of crash victims find solace after 56 years with the discovery of remains from a 1968 Indian Air Force plane crash in the Himalayas, offering long-awaited closure.
Closure for Families as Plane Crash Remains Discovered 56 Years Later
Closure for Families as Plane Crash Remains Discovered 56 Years Later
Decades-long search concludes as bodies from 1968 Himalayas plane crash identified
In a poignant resolution to a search spanning over half a century, the family of Thomas Cherian has finally received the body of their loved one, missing since the 1968 crash of an Indian Air Force plane in the Himalayas. Thomas Cherian, an army craftsman, was just 22 when he boarded the ill-fated flight over the Rohtang Pass. Despite the tragedy, his status only changed from missing to deceased after another passenger's body was found in 2003.
The breakthrough came recently when a joint operation by the Indian army's Dogra Scouts and Tiranga Mountain Rescue recovered four bodies, including Cherian’s, at 16,000 feet near the Dhaka Glacier. Technologies such as satellite imagery, Recco radar, and drones facilitated the discovery among the Himalayan snows and hazardous terrains. Identity was confirmed by a partial name tag on Cherian’s uniform and documentation found on his person.
The news brought bittersweet relief to families like Cherian's, whose parents passed away waiting for such confirmation. "The suffocation of 56 years had suddenly evaporated," expressed Thomas Thomas, Cherian's brother. At a reverential funeral service, Cherian's casket, draped in the Indian flag, was finally laid to rest in his home state of Kerala.
The other three soldiers found recently have also brought closure to their kin, including Narayan Singh, whose family had also long abandoned hope. With relatives embracing the mixed emotions of loss and solace, this discovery concludes a tragic chapter in their lives, underscoring the relentless pursuit of answers for families of the other 102 onboard the missing aircraft.
The breakthrough came recently when a joint operation by the Indian army's Dogra Scouts and Tiranga Mountain Rescue recovered four bodies, including Cherian’s, at 16,000 feet near the Dhaka Glacier. Technologies such as satellite imagery, Recco radar, and drones facilitated the discovery among the Himalayan snows and hazardous terrains. Identity was confirmed by a partial name tag on Cherian’s uniform and documentation found on his person.
The news brought bittersweet relief to families like Cherian's, whose parents passed away waiting for such confirmation. "The suffocation of 56 years had suddenly evaporated," expressed Thomas Thomas, Cherian's brother. At a reverential funeral service, Cherian's casket, draped in the Indian flag, was finally laid to rest in his home state of Kerala.
The other three soldiers found recently have also brought closure to their kin, including Narayan Singh, whose family had also long abandoned hope. With relatives embracing the mixed emotions of loss and solace, this discovery concludes a tragic chapter in their lives, underscoring the relentless pursuit of answers for families of the other 102 onboard the missing aircraft.
