New Delhi: Five soldiers of the army lost their lives during tank river-crossing exercise near the Line of Actual Control in Leh’s Daulat Beg Oldi area in the early hours of Saturday, officials said. Rescue teams have recovered one body, while four others remain missing.
“There were five soldiers in the tank at the time of the incident, including one JCO and four Jawans. One person has been located while the search for others is still ongoing,” defense officials told ANI.
The soldiers were on a training mission, crossing the Bodhi River near Mandir Morh, 148 kilometers from Leh, on their T-72 tank when the water levels suddenly began to rise, according to official sources quote by reports.
The tank and the soldiers were quickly submerged in the rapidly swelling river, sources added.
Search and rescue operations are currently underway to locate the missing soldiers. The incident has raised concerns over the safety measures in place for such exercises in challenging terrains.
Further details on the circumstances leading to the accident are awaited. The army has assured that an investigation will be conducted to determine the cause and to prevent such incidents in the future.
