IAF carries out high-precision rescue operation from volcanic Narcondam Island in the Andamans

Kolkata: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has carried out an emergency high-precision rescue operation from the remote and volcanic Narcondam Island in the Andamans, a Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokesperson in Kolkata said.

A Mi-17 medium-lift helicopter carried out an extremely low hover to rescue two critically injured policemen, he said.

Narcondam, located about 256 km to the northeast of Port Blair (now Vijayanagaram) is India's easternmost island.

It has an area of 7.6 square km with a volcanic peak rising to 710 metres.

The Geological Survey of India has designated the peak as a dormant volcano.

In 2005, a year after the tsunami that caused severe devastation in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, there were reports of smoke and mud escaping the peak.

The island is also a designated UNESCO heritage site.

"There is no place where a helicopter can land at Narcondam. The skills of the aircrew were tested to the full as they carried out the extremely low hover. Half of the helicopter was above the rocks exposed during low tide and the other half was above the sea. The two injured policemen were carried on stretchers to the helicopter. Given the conditions, it was not possible to winch the stretchers up to the aircraft while it hovered higher," the MoD spokesperson added.

Narcondam, with pristine seas and coral reefs, is a scuba divers' paradise.

The island is also heavily forested and attracts nature lovers interested in the Narcondam Hornbill and other fauna and flora.

However, with a population of barely 16 (as per 2016 records), the island offers no accommodation to visitors.

There are regular ferry services from Diglipur though.

A police station does exist on the island, though, to prevent illegal infiltration.

The island was claimed by Myanmar till 1986.

Myanmar gave up its claim after delimitation of the maritime boundary between the two nations.

A lighthouse also exists on the slopes of Narcondam.