All 7 Indian Army soldiers hit by avalanche in Arunachal Pradesh dead

The seven Indian Army personnel were part of a patrol team and had gone missing after being hit by the avalanche in Tawang district.

Kameng:  In an unfortunate incident, all seven Indian Army personnel who went missing after being struck by an avalanche in the Kameng region of Arunachal Pradesh on February 6 were found dead on Tuesday.

Officials in the Indian Army confirmed that after a 48- hour search and rescue operation carried out by the specialised team, the bodies of all seven individuals were recovered from the avalanche site. Specialised teams were also airlifted for rescue operations on Monday.

“Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of everyone involved, all seven have been confirmed deceased,” Tezpur-based Defence PRO Lt Col Harsh Vardhan Pande said. 

The bodies of the soldiers are currently being transferred from the avalanche site to the nearest Indian Army medical facility for further formalities, Pande added.

These soldiers were a part of the patrolling border team, who had gone for the patrolling and struck in the avalanche. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi mourned the death of the soldiers. In a Twitter post, he said: "Saddened by the loss of lives of Indian Army personnel due to an avalanche in Arunachal Pradesh. We will never forget their exemplary service to our nation. Condolences to the bereaved families."

The area, located at an altitude of 14500 feet, had been witnessing inclement weather with heavy snowfall for the last few days. It also has an inhospitable terrain with a sparse population. It is situated on the western edge of the state, with Bhutan to its west and China to its north.

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