Five Indian Army men die while crossing a river during tank exercise
Five Indian Army troops lost their lives when their tank was swept away by flash floods while crossing a river in the Daulat Beg Oldie district of eastern Ladakh. The location is along the Line of Actual Control with China.
The tragedy occurred while four jawans and one junior commissioned officer (JCO) were crossing a river in the Nyoma-Chushul area in a T-72 tank for a training.
However, water levels rose suddenly, and the tank sunk as a result of the accident, according to PTI.
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“Five Indian Army personnel, including one junior commissioned officer (JCO) and four jawans, died in an incident during a river crossing exercise last evening in the Daulat Beg Oldie area. “All five bodies have been recovered,” defence officials stated.
Defence minister condoles death of Army soldiers
Reacting to the incident, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he was deeply saddened at the loss of lives of five Army personnel.
“We will never forget the exemplary service of our gallant soldiers to the nation. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. The nation stands firm with them during this hour of grief,” Singh tweeted.
In the last several days, parts of Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh have received severe rains. On Friday, landslides were reported in Shimla, Kullu, and Kinnaur districts.
A landslide in the Malyana region of Shimla caused damage to multiple automobiles. Landslides in Kullu and Kinnaur districts also obstructed roads and halted travel.
