Indian Navy Team Honored for Brave Rescue Operation at Chandil Dam

Former servicemen and human rights association of East Singhbhum honor Navy divers for Chandil Dam aircraft recovery mission.

Indian Navy’s survey and diver team was honored for their courageous mission to recover a crashed aircraft from Chandil Dam on August 27, 2024.

JAMSHEDPUR – The Indian Human Rights Association and Ex-Servicemen Welfare Council, East Singhbhum, honored the Indian Navy’s survey and diver team on August 27, 2024, for their brave operation at Chandil Dam.

The ceremony took place at the Wave International Hotel auditorium at 5:00 PM, recognizing the team’s success in recovering a crashed aircraft from Chandil Dam.

On August 20, a training aircraft from Sonari Airport lost contact with ATC and crashed shortly after takeoff, resulting in the deaths of both the instructor and trainee pilot.

Despite extensive efforts by the NDRF, the aircraft could not be located, prompting local authorities and the Minister of State for Defense to request assistance from the Indian Navy.

The Navy team, led by Commander Janmejay Singh, Commander Varun Gupta, Lieutenant R.P. Patel, and Master Chief Petty Officer R.S. Saini, undertook the challenging mission.

Facing extreme conditions, they located the aircraft 7 kilometers away and 40 feet underwater, successfully bringing it to the dam’s edge using salvage bags.

The aircraft was then handed over to the DGCA for investigation.

The Ex-Servicemen Welfare Council of East Singhbhum provided invaluable support during the operation.

The Navy team, consisting of 20 members, was honored with shawls, mementos, and bouquets during the ceremony.

The operation, likened to finding a needle in the ocean, captured the attention of the entire state and the nation.

The event was conducted by former Navy personnel Sushil Kumar Singh, and a vote of thanks was given by Indian Human Rights Association District President S.N. Pal.

The successful organization of the program was supported by Ved Prakash, Mukesh Kumar, Syed Khan, Rajeev Ranjan, Dinesh Kumar Singh, Dr. Kamal Shukla, and Ashok Kumar Srivastava.