New Delhi: Over 56 years after an Indian Air Force AN-12 aircraft crashed over Rohtang Pass, Himachal Pradesh, four more bodies have been recovered in a significant breakthrough. The ill-fated plane, carrying 102 people, went missing on February 7, 1968, during a flight from Chandigarh to Leh.

A joint team from the Dogra Scouts of the Indian Army and Tiranga Mountain Rescue made the discovery. The search for wreckage and remains had been ongoing for decades, with initial success in 2003 when mountaineers found parts of the wreckage. Multiple expeditions followed, led by the Indian Army.

By 2019, only five bodies had been recovered due to the treacherous conditions. The latest mission by the Chandra Bhaga Mountain Expedition has now brought the total to nine, including the remains of Malkhan Singh, Sepoy Narayan Singh, and Craftsman Thomas Charan. The identity of the fourth victim remains inconclusive, though documents relating to relatives were found.

Charan, from Elanthoor, Kerala, has his family informed of the recovery. Malkhan Singh and Sepoy Singh, who worked in the Army Medical Corps, were identified through official records. Sepoy Singh hailed from Kolpadi village, Chamoli, Uttarakhand.