Siddharthnagar (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 3 : One child died, and two others were injured after a group of five children climbed atop a water tank to record a reel, and the stairs collapsed, officials said on Sunday.
District Magistrate of Siddharthnagar Shivsharanappa toldthat while three children fell from the structure, two remained stranded and were later rescued in a joint operation involving the fire department and the Indian Air Force, which airlifted them using a helicopter due to difficult terrain and poor road access.
"An incident occurred when five children climbed atop a water tank to record a reel, and when the stairs broke, three of them fell from the water tank. One child died, and two others are being treated at the medical college," the District Magistrate said.
He further explained the rescue efforts for the two children stranded on the tank. "For the rescue operation of the two children who were still atop the tank, we first called a fire engine from Gorakhpur. Because the soil was very muddy and the road wasn't properly built, we consulted with the Air Force officer in Gorakhpur as part of Plan B. They dispatched a helicopter around 5 AM this morning, and the two children were safely rescued and sent to their parents' home. We thank the Chief Minister's office, whose coordination provided the Air Force and ensured the successful, quick operation," Shivsharanappa added.
Children who had been stranded for a day at a water tank were rescued by an Air Force helicopter following the coordinated operation, officials added.
Earlier today, DM Shivsharanappa informed that the rescue operation was carried out in close coordination with the Air Force and the state administration, with continuous communication maintained throughout the planning phase.
According to the IAF's Central Air Command (CAC), the operation was launched following a request from state government authorities after the children got stuck on top of the structure due to damage to the access ladder.
In a post on X, CAC, IAF wrote, "On a request from state government authorities, an IAF Mi-17 V5 of Central Air Command (CAC) was deployed to rescue two stranded children, who were stuck on top of a water tank in Sidharth Nagar in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. The children were stranded in the night as the ladder of the water tank was damaged. The rescue mission, yet again, displays the IAF's professionalism and commitment to save lives with a swift response in times of need."
Officials confirmed that two other children who were safely rescued are being treated at the medical college. Further details are awaited.
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