German mountaineer rescued from slopes of Nun Peak by IAF

A German member of a mountaineering expedition, which was hit by avalanche, was today rescued from the slopes of Nun Peak in the Ladakh region by Indian Air Force.

The Leh-based Siachen Pioneers unit of the IAF has been involved in several rescue missions in the last one month and has evacuated several foreigners from higher reaches in the region.

"The helicopter unit once again proved its mettle and evacuated German national Dr Steger Helmut Otto, who was part of a mountaineering expedition, from the higher reaches of Himalayan ranges, from a camp on the slopes of Nun Peak (7135 m) -- one of the highest in the Ladakh region," IAF said in a release.

The request for evacuating the German national attempting to climb the Nun peak was received on August 18 after his team feared to have lost two of its guides in an avalanche and one member of the team was gravely injured.

"A two-helicopter rescue team led by the Commanding Officer, Wg Cdr UKS Bhadauria got airborne at 0545 AM on 19 August and reached the expedition site area.

"After picking up the casualty who had survived a fall of approximately 300 feet at the summit and was stuck on his fixed rope with few broken ribs and head injury, the formation set course and landed back at Leh at 0845 AM," the release said.

The German national was then provided medical assistance by the IAF.