On March 5, Simrik Air conducted a daring operation in Langtang, rescuing a renowned Spanish paraglider, who was battling for life after suffering multiple fractures in a crash.
The team consisting of pilot-in-command Captain Surendra Paudel, rescue specialist Tshering Pande Bhote, and technician Uttam Chaudhari rescued Xavier Bonet Dalmau from an elevation of 4,560 meters at the north-central Himalayan range. Airlifted to Kathmandu for treatment, Dalmau is on a recovery path.
This rescue operation shows the importance of a well-trained and well-equipped team in life-and-death situations like accidents in the rugged rugged terrains of Nepal.
This is not the first instance of Simrik Air’s involvement in critical operations.
On April 11, 2021, a Simrik Air heli team under the command of Captain Siddartha J Gurung, pilot-in-command Captain Paudel and comprising other experienced crew members doused a raging fire at the Shivapuri national park using the Bambi bucket, thereby averting a loss of life and properties.
Equipped with cutting-edge technology and equipment and aware of Nepal’s trying terrains like the Himalayas, Simrik Air is well aware of the importance of well-trained human resources in critical operations.
In the first week of February 2023, it conducted a heli-training and orientation for the crew, staff, and medical team to prepare them better for rushing crucial assistance during natural and man-made disasters by enhancing their skills and expertise. Captain Gurung led a Bambi Bucket training session for helicopter pilots Capt Hare Ram Thapa and Capt Rajendra Duwal at Bojinee Dam in Nagarkot. The pilots learned the proper use and operation of this specialized tool.
Simrik Air is the sole provider of this water-based firefighting service in Nepal, apart from Long-line operation and Sling operation and Yak Winch.
Simrik Air also offered realistic engagement training options such as Recco, Yak Winch, Sling Operation, Long-line Operation, Medical Evacuation, and management training to keep the staff up-to-date and maintain safety, efficiency, and consistency in service. Captain Bimal Sharma and Captain Bhaskar Pokharel were trained on this.
Crew members Ang Tashi Sherpa, Tshering Dhenduk Bhote, Tshering Pandey Bhote and Sonam Bhuti also received training during these sessions, conducted under the supervision of instructor and trainer from Germany and Switzerland Bruno Jelk, Daniel Brunner and Beat Marti.
This kind of training is crucial for saving lives and properties during natural and manmade disasters like flooding, fires and mountaineering accidents because the state alone is not adequately equipped in dealing with such contingencies.
