Guwahati: Three Army personnel, including two Agniveers, lost their lives on Tuesday after a massive avalanche struck the Siachen base camp in Ladakh.
Sources confirmed that rescue operations are ongoing at the site, known as the “world’s highest battleground.”
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The deceased soldiers, belonging to the Mahar Regiment, hailed from Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand. They were trapped for approximately five hours before succumbing to the avalanche. An Army captain caught in the incident was successfully rescued.
Avalanches are a frequent hazard at Siachen Glacier, situated on the northern tip of the Line of Control at an altitude of around 20,000 feet, where temperatures can plummet to -60 degrees Celsius.
Historically, the glacier has seen multiple deadly avalanches. In 2021, two soldiers died in sub-sector Haneef, though others were rescued after six hours. In 2019, an avalanche claimed four soldiers and two porters while they were patrolling at 18,000 feet. The deadliest incident occurred in 2022 in Arunachal Pradesh’s Kameng sector, where seven soldiers perished, with their bodies recovered three days later.
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Following these recurring tragedies, the Army procured 20 avalanche rescue systems from a Swedish firm in 2022, fulfilling a long-standing requirement to enhance safety in high-altitude regions like Siachen and other parts of Kashmir and the Northeast.