Indian Army sends 18-member team for mountaineering expedition

The Indian army on Wednesday sent an 18-member team to a mountaineering expedition in the Siachen glacier region of Ladakh.

The team, which includes six reserve members and is a mix of experienced and first-time climbers, was flagged off by General Officer Commanding (GOC), White Knight Corps, Lt Gen KH Singh, from Naoshera area of Rajouri district to Mount Zago Kangdi (6,240 metre) in the Siachen Glacier Region of Ladakh, a defence spokesman said.

The unscaled peak was carefully selected with an aim to inculcate the spirit of adventure, exploration and inquisitiveness, he said, adding that the challenges likely to be faced by the team include deep crevasse, adverse weather and avalanches.

The preparation for the event started in January this year with detailed selection of persons. The team was then sent on basic and advance mountaineering courses, he said. Prior to the expedition, the team will undergo two weeks of pre-expedition training at Siachen Base Camp, he said.

Addressing the team, the GOC said the successful scaling of the summit will embolden the spirit of adventure and team effort among all ranks of the Ace of Spade Division.