The natural open period of the alternate road via Manali being barely about 3 to 4 months from mid July to mid October, is not adequate for stocking supplies in Ladakh. The BRO, therefore, clears the passes manually as well as mechanically by deploying available manpower and snow cutting machines. The snow clearance starts during March - April and continues till December.

It was because of the above requirement that on May 17, 2000 Brig Mohan Bakshi, the Chief Engineer, (CE) of the Shimla based BRO Project was required to fly from Shimla to Baralacha for an aerial reconnaissance of the alternate road, to assess the quantum of snow accumulation of the high passes for a proper planning and timely execution of the snow clearance work.

For this purpose an IAF helicopter was required. As per usual Indian Air Force (IAF) drill, the reconnaissance aircraft generally fly in pairs. So two 'Cheetah' helicopters were deployed for the reconnaissance work.

The Chief Engineer and the Task Force Commander of the specific sector, Mr SS Porwal, Superintending Engineer (SG), took off from Shimla helipad in the first aircraft piloted by Flying Officers, Amit Goel and SK Yadav at about 9.30 AM. The second aircraft piloted by Wg Cdr Chander Singh and Flt Lt Rajesh Bhusal followed immediately behind. The aircraft landed at Satingri for refuelling. The team had a cup of tea during the break.

The CE's aircraft took off from Satingri first and headed towards Baralacha. The second one did not take off immediately as it developed some snag in its fuel line. While flying over Zing Zing Bar, where the mountain slope gets steeper, Flying Officer Amit found that instead of gaining height to climb the hill ahead, the aircraft was going astray -- towards Bhaga valley. He told the CE that the machine engine was not functioning properly and was not responding to his manoeuvering. There were no air currents either for gliding the losely drifting aircraft to any safe spot. A crash appeared inevitable.

The Chief Engineer suggested to the pilot to try to approach a nearby tower but flatter spot. The thicker snow accumulation there could afford better cushion. The co-pilot, Flt Lt SK Yadav said that the aircraft was out of control. That very moment one rotter blade of the aircraft hit the snow on the hill face. The helicopter had a providential gyration towards the river bed. It crashed instantly on its side in a pool of nearly 1.5 m deep water.

The touch down was quite a blast. The cabin was smashed. All occupants received injuries of varying severity. Flying Officer Yadav got thrown out. He yelled to others to get out before the craft caught fire and burst into flames. Porwal and Amit appeared unconscious. Brig Bakshi felt himself hurt but conscious. He pushed Porwal out and into the water below. Then he himself jumped out, pulled Porwal out of the water and seated him on a nearby rock. He then pulled Amit out to safety.

Now, the accumulation of snow being several metres thick and the noon being so bright, there was a serious danger of glaciers and snow slides hitting these people. So without caring for his own aches, Brig Bakshi started taking his three injured team-mates slowly towards a safer place.

As luck would have it, that very moment a couple was seen moving on a motor bike from Baralacha side towards Satingri. Brig Bakshi, waded through the tick snow towards the motor cyclist, simultaneously shouting 'Rooko....Rooko...’ to hail him to come over to help the injured people. The motor cyclist, a kind hearted German doctor and adventurist perceived the trouble, stopped the bike and walked up. Brig Bakshi requested him to drive straight to BRO's detatchments ahead and inform the officials there about the occurrence of the air crash. The motor cyclist not only agreed to help as requested but also asked his spouse, also a doctor, to stay on with the injured persons and render whatever first aid and moral support was possible. He spread the word about the crash upto Keylong in no time.

When Wg Cdr Chander Singh, the pilot of the second aircraft, still at Satingri, heard about the crash landing of the first aircraft, took off despite the snag in his aircraft. He wished to reach out for rescue operations. Capt Vishal Srivastava, a Medical Officer of a Road Construction Company also boarded the aircraft for the rescue mission.

This aircraft soon flew over the CE's party. Standing on the ground they shouted at the top of their voice and made all possible gestures to attract the attention of the pilot. But he did not take any notice and continued flying towards Baralacha. The aircraft was soon out of sight and not seen or heard again.

Brig Bakshi and his party waited for some time for the second aircraft to come over to locate them. It did not appear even after 30 minutes. The party then became apprehensive about the safety of this aircraft too.

Maj Sanjay Karodpati, the Officer Commanding of the Road Construction Company at Satingri started for the site of crash soon on hearing. A team of civil officials, one Project Officer, one Deputy SP and one Medical Officer also started from Keylong, the district headquarter, for the rescue work. All reached the site by about 1.30 PM. One party took injured Amit and Porwal to keylong. Others joined search for the second aircraft.

Brig Bakshi had already moved Operators Earth Mover Surinder Singh and Shanker Pillai of nearby detachment towards Baralacha / Kinlung for locating the missing aircraft. Maj Sanjay Karodpati, soon joined them. At about 2.30 PM they sighted a blade of a helicopter rotor above the snow line, about 1 km up the slope. The Brigadier and his helping hands waded through the snow and dug up the rotor blade spot. And, 1o, the second aircraft had also crashed!

The rescue party dug the snow to take out the trapped people. Flt Lt Rajesh Bhusal and Cap Vishal Shrivastava were unconscious, but alive. Wg Cdr Chander Singh was dead already. Vishal breathed his last as soon as taken out of the crashed aircraft. The rescuers carried Rajesh to the road side and further evacuated to the civil hospital at Keylong. The Brigadier arranged for the security of the crashed aircraft and the dead bodies therein.

It is apparent that despite having received severe injuries himself, Brig Bakshi acted with tremendous will power. Without caring for his own pain or safety, he played a heroic role in saving the lives of two seriously injured air crew and own colleague, Mr Porwal. Had he not taken this initiative, the death toll might have been more. He himself too could have succumbed to the subzero temperature, if not the injuries, had he not forced himself to ignore his suffering and get going.

Thus, May 17, 2000, was quite a date with death at Himalayan heights for the people involved..