An MI-17 helicopter of the Indian Air Force rescued two children stranded on an overhead water tank in Siddharthnagar district for 16 hours on Sunday.
Both have been admitted to the Air Force Hospital in Gorakhpur.
On Saturday, five children—Bale (12), Golu (15), Shani (11), Kallu (15), and Pawan (16)—from Kanshiram Awas Colony climbed a 60-foot-high water tank to make a video reel. While descending, the ladder broke, causing three of them to fall. Bale died on the spot, while Shani and Golu were admitted to hospital in a critical condition. The remaining children, Kallu and Pawan, clung to a rod and managed to climb back up the tank.
The swampy area around the tank hampered the rescue operation. A hydraulic crane was called in, but it could not reach the tank due to the marshy ground.
As a result, work began on constructing a 150-metre access road. By late night, 120 metres of the road had been completed.
Following the information, several officers, including DM Shivsharanappa GN and SSP Abhishek Mahajan, reached the spot and relief and rescue operations were launched. A Poclain machine was brought in to remove debris, while food and water were supplied to the children using ropes.
Meanwhile, heavy rain began around 3 am, forcing a halt to the rescue operation. In view of the situation, the administration sought help from the Indian Army.
An MI-17 helicopter of the Indian Air Force arrived at the scene around 5:20 am on Sunday, and both children, Kallu and Pawan, were safely rescued.