Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Jan 4: Four Army personnel were killed after their patrol party was hit by an avalanche at Siachen Glacier of Ladakh division yesterday.
“Four soldiers of 3 Ladakh Scouts were killed when their patrol party was hit by a snow avalanche at the Southern Glacier in Ladakh at 4:30 PM yesterday”, a Defence spokesman said here today. “While performing the task, the patrol party came under an avalanche,” he said.
The officer said that despite rescue teams reaching on the spot within no time, they could not save these Army personnels. “A rescue mission was immediately launched; however, despite all possible efforts the jawans could not be saved”, he added.
These Army personnel were identified as Havildar Dorjey Gason, Havildar Tsewang Norboo, Rifleman Jigmat Chosdup and Rifleman Mohmmad Yusuf. “Their bodies were retrieved from the avalanche site and handed over to their next of kin. They will be cremated with full military honours,” he said.
This is the third time since April last year that avalanches killed Army men at Siachan in Ladakh. Last year in April, four Army personnels were killed when an avalanche struck in Chang La area of Siachen where they were performing their duty.
On November 15 last year, an Army Captain Ashwani Kumar was killed while 15 Army men were rescued when avalanche hit an army post at Siachen Glacier.
Both Indian and Pakistani troops are suffering heavy casualties at Siachen due to avalanches every year. The worst tragedy took place on April 7, 2012, when 130 Pakistani soldiers were buried alive at Siachen Glacier.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, has expressed grief over the death of four Army soldiers after they came under a snow avalanche at the Southern Glacier in Ladakh.
In his condolence message, Mufti Sayeed conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved family members of the Army personnel and prayed for peace to the departed souls.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel