After a wait of 56 years, the body of Sepoy Malkhan Singh, who went missing in a 1968 aircraft crash in the snow-covered mountains of Rohtang, Himachal Pradesh, is set to return home. Army officials confirmed that a joint recovery team from the Dogra Scouts and Tiranga Mountain Rescue located the bodies.
Additional SP Sagar Jain stated that Singh’s body is expected to arrive from Ladakh by October 3. His family is preparing for the last rites, which will be conducted upon his return to Fatehpur village in the Nanauta area.
Singh’s family was recently informed of the body’s recovery and is currently making arrangements for the final ceremonies. The discovery marks a significant breakthrough in one of India’s longest-running search operations, as four bodies were recovered from the crash site of the ill-fated AN-12 aircraft.
The twin-engine turboprop, carrying 102 individuals, went missing on February 7, 1968, while en route from Chandigarh to Leh. Over the decades, the wreckage and remains remained hidden in the harsh terrain until mountaineers from the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering found the wreckage in 2003, prompting numerous expeditions.
By 2019, only five bodies had been recovered due to the challenging conditions. Among the recently found bodies are those of Malkhan Singh, Sepoy Narayan Singh, and Craftsman Thomas Charan. The fourth body remains unidentified, but documents found offer clues about the individual’s family.
This remarkable recovery brings closure to families affected by the tragedy and underscores the relentless efforts of the Indian Army in the ongoing search and rescue mission.
