New Delhi: Five Army personnel, including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), lost their lives after the T-72 tank they were in was swept away due to heavy flow of water in eastern Ladakh Friday.
The Army’s Ladakh-based 14 Corps on social media platform X stated Saturday that on 28 June 2024, while de-inducting from a military training activity, an Army tank got stuck in the Shyok river, near Saser Brangsa, eastern Ladakh due to sudden increase in the water level.
“Rescue teams rushed to the location, however, due to high current and water levels, the rescue mission didn’t succeed and the tank crew lost their lives.
“Indian Army regrets loss of five brave personnel while being operationally deployed in eastern Ladakh. Rescue operations are underway,” it added.
On 28 Jun 2024 night, while deinducting from a military training activity, an army tank got stuck in the Shyok River, near Saser Brangsa, Eastern Ladakh due to sudden increase in the water level. Rescue teams rushed to the location, however, due to high current and water levels,…
— @firefurycorps_IA (@firefurycorps) June 29, 2024
Condoling the loss of lives, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh posted on X, “Deeply saddened at the loss of lives of five of our brave Indian Army soldiers in an unfortunate accident while getting the tank across a river in Ladakh. We will never forget 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.”
Deeply saddened at the loss of lives of five of our brave Indian Army soldiers in an unfortunate accident while getting the tank across a river in Ladakh.
We will never forget exemplary service of our gallant soldiers to the nation. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved…
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) June 29, 2024
Owing to the India-China standoff in Ladakh since May 2020, there has been a heavy deployment of Indian Army personnel in the region.
The two countries are yet to draw a full resolution of the disputed regions even as they have disengaged from a number of friction points.
As reported by ThePrint earlier, India had deployed over 68,000 additional troops, nearly 90 tanks and more than 300 infantry combat vehicles in eastern Ladakh following the 2020 Galwan clashes along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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