Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday expressed sadness over the death of soldiers in a flash flood in Ladakh and said the entire country is with their families.

Five Army personnel, including a junior commissioned officer, drowned when their T-72 tank sank due to flash floods in the Shyok River near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Nyoma-Chushul area in Ladakh during an exercise early Saturday.

“I am saddened by the news of the accident during the military exercise in Ladakh.

I express my condolences to the families of the brave soldiers who lost their lives in this accident.

The whole country is with the families of the brave soldiers,” Shah said in a social media post in Hindi.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expressed sorrow at the death of five soldiers who drowned when their T-72 tank sank due to a flash flood in the Shyok river in Ladakh on Saturday.

“Deeply distressed at the loss of lives of five Indian Army bravehearts, including a JCO (junior commissioned officer), while getting a T-72 tank across a river in Ladakh,” Kharge said in a social media post.

“Our heartfelt condolences to the families of the Army personnel who fell victim to this painful tragedy. In this hour of grief, the nation stands together in saluting the exemplary service of our valiant soldiers,” he added.

The five Army personnel, including a junior commissioned officer, drowned when their tank sank in the Shyok river near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Nyoma-Chushul area of Ladakh.

Rahul Gandhi, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, said the news of the soldiers’ death was extremely sad.

“The news of the martyrdom of five Indian Army soldiers in an accident during a military exercise of a tank crossing a river in Ladakh is extremely sad,” he said in a post in Hindi on X.

“While paying my humble tribute to all the martyred soldiers, I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families. We stand with them in this hour of grief. The country will always remember their dedication, service and sacrifice,” he said in a post.

Priyanka Gandhi also expressed her condolences to the families of the five soldiers.  “The news of the martyrdom of five army soldiers in the sudden flood … in Ladakh is extremely sad.

May God grant peace to the departed souls. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families,” she said in social media post in Hindi. 

“The country will always remain indebted to our brave soldiers and their families for this supreme sacrifice,” she added..