Guwahati: The ever-windy Sela Pass, located about 14,000 feet above sea level on the eastern Himalayas, is said to be among the most difficult airspaces to negotiate even for the most experienced pilots. It is here that the Pawan Hans helicopter carrying Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu is believed to have lost contact, about 20 minutes after take-off from Tawang yesterday.
“It is a very difficult terrain. The wind velocity is very high. The weather keeps changing every five minutes. You never know how quickly your chopper will face a patch of thick cloud,” said a former senior Army officer who flew over Sela range many times during his two tenures in the region.
As the Sela ridge is very sharp, there is little space for any helicopter to make a quick turnaround in the event of sudden clouds. “It is like a tunnel, and the wind starts pushing the chopper,” said the former officer.
02/05/11 Indian Express
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