At least six Army soldiers were killed and another went missing when an avalanche hit the Siachen glacier area in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday.
Srinagar-based Defence spokesperson Lt Col J S Brar said that at 6:14 am Army posts at a height of over 17,000 feet came under an avalanche in sub sector Hanif, in the Turtuk area of Siachen.
“Immediately, avalanche rescue teams along with avalanche rescue dogs were sent for rescue operation. Unfortunately six army men lost their lives whose mortal remains have been recovered,” he said and added one Army personnel was still missing. The rescue operation has been halted due to adverse weather conditions in the area.
The dead soldiers belonged to the 1st Assam Regiment Battalion.
Army sources said that this was for the first time in several years that an avalanche had hit an Indian post in the glacier area. The Assam unit is part of the 102 Siachen Brigade and is located at altitudes of around 15-16,000 feet, they said.
An avalanche had hit a Pakistani Army camp in the glacier area last year killing over 100 troops.
Siachen Glacier is known as the highest battlefield in the world where Indian and Pakistani troops are posted round the year to protect their respective positions.
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