Soldier dead, 3 others missing in avalanche in Ladakh mountains

Army officials who spoke to ETV Bharat said at the time of the avalanche, a group of about 40 soldiers from the High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) and the Army Adventure Wing were engaged in normal training exercises close to Mount Kun (Ladakh).

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): An avalanche near Mount Kun in Ladakh resulted in the death of one soldier while three others are still missing, according to Indian Army officials on Monday.

Army officials who spoke to ETV Bharat said at the time of the avalanche, a group of about 40 soldiers from the High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) and the Army Adventure Wing were engaged in normal training exercises close to Mount Kun (Ladakh). "Such exercises are standard practice during this season, aiming to provide realistic mountaineering training for HAWS participants as part of the 'Train the Trainer' concept," the officials said.

The group, according to the official sources, encountered an unexpected avalanche on their training ascent on October 8. "Four of our personnel were buried beneath. Rescue efforts were launched right away and are currently going strong," they added. In a search operation following the tragedy, Army officials claim to have found the mortal remains of one soldier. "Identification will be made public once the rescue operation concludes," the officials said.

"Despite inclement weather and heavy snow pile up, search and rescue operations continue to locate and recover others trapped under the massive snow deposit," they added.