Bodies of all the seven soldiers, part of an Army patrol that was hit by an avalanche in Arunachal Pradesh and who went missing on Sunday, were found on Tuesday after the Army launched a big search and rescue mission, including by mountaineers and helicopters.
Giving details here, the Army said on Tuesday seven Army personnel were struck by an avalanche in the high altitude area of the Kameng Sector.
The rescue operation was launched immediately and bodies of all seven have been recovered from the avalanche site. “Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of everyone involved, all seven have been confirmed dead,” the statement said.
The area, located at an altitude of 14,500 feet, was witnessing inclement weather with heavy snowfall since the last few days. The bodies of the soldiers are currently being transferred from the avalanche site to the nearest Army medical facility for further formalities, the Army said.
The Army has to face these hazards while patrolling the high altitude areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) facing China and Line of Control (LOC) with Pakistan besides the Siachen glacier.
In fact, more than 1,000 soldiers have died due to vagaries of weather and dangerous terrain in the glacier since the Army took a position in 1984 at the world’s highest battlefield. In fact, ten soldiers died in an avalanche when it hit their camp in 2016 there.
These patrols are fraught with danger due to weather conditions including avalanches at high altitudes. In May 2020, two Army soldiers who were part of a patrol-cum-snow-clearing party died after they were caught in an avalanche in Sikkim.
In February 2020, the Government informed Parliament that six Army personnel had died due to avalanches and snow-slides in the Siachen Glacier in 2019, while 11 others were killed in similar incidents elsewhere.
All troops inducted into high-altitude regions are provided adequate training in mountain craft, ice craft, and survival in glaciated terrain in mountains, and in coping with any eventuality like avalanches, and they are also taught to handle medical emergencies.
They are also suitably equipped to undertake the operational challenges and use modern equipment like helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, snow scooters, avalanche detectors, and mountain clothing.