Tragedy Strikes As Four Army Personnel, Two Porters Killed In Avalanche In Siachen Glacier

In a tragic incident, four Indian Army personnel and two civilian porters were killed after they were hit by an avalanche in northern part of the Siachen Glacier, officials said. A group of eight persons, including six Army personnel, were struck by the avalanche at an altitude of 19,000 ft around 3 pm, they said. Two Army personnel survived the avalanche. Rescue teams from nearby posts were rushed to the location after the incident, an Army spokesperson said.

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"All eight personnel were pulled out of the avalanche debris. Seven individuals were critically injured in the incident," the official said.

Despite best efforts, four soldiers and two civilian porters succumbed to extreme hypothermia, the official said.

Netizens offered their condolences on social media and hailed the brave soldiers who continuously guard the borders in such conditions.

RIP

¡ª BHARAT (@ashish_ramp) November 18, 2019

RIP BRAVE HEARTS

¡ª Ankit Kashyap (@kash_anki) November 18, 2019

rest in peace our brave hearts?

¡ª vanshaj bhardwaj ?? (@iamvanshaj) November 18, 2019

Oh, this highest glaciated battlefield really takes its toll. May God take care of our brave hearts.

¡ª Nauti (@Nauti65) November 19, 2019

In February this year, one Indian Army soldier was killed and five others are missing after a powerful avalanche hit the Shipki La pass along the China border in Pooh block of Kinnaur district in Himachal Pradesh.

Two separate teams, the Army's JK Rifles unit and ITBP were patrolling in Namgia-Dogri when the avalanche hit in the morning.

While the ITBP personnel were rescued immediately by the search teams, five army men were buried under the snow.

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Shipki La is a mountain pass and border post, at an elevation of 3.930 m above the sea level with a dozen buildings of significant size on the India-China border.

The Siachen Glacier at the height of around 20,000 ft in the Karakoram range is known as the highest militarised zone in the world where the soldiers have to battle frostbite and high winds.

Avalanches and landslides are common at the glacier during the winters and temperatures can drop to as low as minus 60 degrees Celsius.

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In 2016, 10 Indian soldiers were buried and killed.

About 900 Indian Army soldiers alone have died on the glacier since 1984, when Indian forces took complete control of Siachen.

The glacier is located at the northern end of the Line of Control that divides Kashmir, which India and Pakistan have fought over since 1947.

(With inputs from agencies)