Soldier killed, another missing in avalanche in Ladakh

Tragedy hit Indian Army for the second time in a week on Friday when a massive avalanche swept away their patrol burying two soldiers under the huge mounds of snow in Turtuk sector of Siachen glacier.

Indian Army rescuers pulled off one of the soldiers from under the snow but he succumbed to his injuries in the hospital. A massive rescue operation is underway to locate another missing soldier.

The incident occurred at 8am on Friday when army troops were on a patrol in the Turtuk area of Ladakh division. A massive avalanche hit their patrol burying two soldiers under the huge mounds of snow. Rescuers of the Indian Army immediately launched an operation and rescued one of the soldiers in a critical condition.

"Lance Havildar Bhawan Tamang, who was earlier rescued from an avalanche in Turtuk Sector succumbed to his injuries. The soldier, who was immediately retrieved and evacuated to the nearest medical facility, could not be revived by the medical team," said Colonel NN Joshi, defence spokesman at Srinagar.

Hailing from Lopshu village in Darjeeling tehsil of West Bengal, Lance Havildar Bhawan Tamang was part of the army patrol when it came under the massive avalanche in the Turtuk sector.

All efforts are being made to rescue another missing soldier from under the snow. "Massive efforts are currently on to rescue the other jawan in spite of inclement weather in the area," Colonel Joshi said.

This is second time in a week when an avalanche has hit the Indian Army troopers in the cold desert of Ladakh. On March 17, an avalanche hit the army post situated at the altitude of 17,500 feet in the Kargil sector. Two soldiers, who were on surveillance duty, were swept away by the avalanche. One of the soldiers was immediately rescued while the body of another was retrieved from under the snow three days later.

This is the third time in the last two-and-a-half months when Indian Army has been hit by the avalanches in the cold desert of Ladakh. Ten Indian army soldiers, including a junior commissioned officer, were swept away by a massive avalanche at the altitude of 19,600 feet in Siachen glacier on February 3.

Five days later Indian Army rescuers pulled off a miracle when they extricated Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad alive from the huge blocks of snow and ice. Lance Naik Koppad of Madras regiment however died of multiple organ failure in the Army Research and Referral Hospital, New Delhi some days later.

On February 27 a civilian porter working with army died after falling into a 130 deep crevasse at Saichen glacier.