15 July,2009 09:15 AM IST | | kaumudi Gurjar
Col (Retd) Ranjit Singh Dev rescues teen struck in the roaring waters of Pavana River during thunderstorm with a heroic chopper stunt
Vikas Jagdale (17) was stranded in the Pavana river in the midst of a thunderstorm yesterday. For almost seven hours, he held on to a rock as the rain and the river roared around him, waiting to be rescued. But neither the fire brigade, nor the police could reach him. When they failed, a request for a helicopter was sent out. And in rode Shaurya Chakra awardee Colonel (Retd) Ranjit Singh Dev.
With just precious minutes left for the sun to set, Dev pulled off a heroic feat. He lowered the height of his Augusta 109 Grant chopper to the extent that the wheels were almost touching the river and pulled the boy out.
Explaining how he got stuck in the river, Jagdale said, "I had gone to the river with three friends to enjoy the rains. While my friends managed to return to land, my foot slipped and I fell in."
Realising that rescue, under the circumstances, wouldn't be easy, Jagdale's friends sought help from the fire brigade. Meanwhile the Hinjewadi police station contacted the CRPF and a National Disaster Rescue Force unit rushed to the spot.
However, when no boat or rope could bring him back, they contacted Zaco Aviation, which charters aircraft for private flights, agreed to help.
Speaking to MiD DAY, Dev said, "As it was already 6 pm, I contacted Air Traffic Control (ATC) for immediate clearance and explained the situation." He added that the ATC's cooperation allowed him to fly down the chopper from the helipad in Baner without any delays.
"There was a huge thunderstorm and the visibility was zero. Hence, the CRPF personnel guided us with the directions.
"After we located the boy, I started lowering the aircraft, but the winch equipment was not available in the chopper and it would have been very risky to just dangle out the rope. Hence, I lowered the chopper so that the boy could be pulled inside."
Jagdale was pulled into the chopper amid a cheering crowd. The grateful boy could only term Dev as God sent.
