Siachen avalanche: 4 soldiers, 2 civilian porters killed

New Delhi: Four soldiers and two civilian porters were killed when an Army patrol party was hit by an avalanche in the Northern Sector of Siachen Glacier, at an altitude of 19,000 feet, on Monday.

According to Army sources, the avalanche took place around 3 pm, trapping eight soldiers and the porters in the snow. Avalanche Rescue Teams from nearby posts were rushed to the location. While all of them were pulled out of the snow and taken to the nearest Military Hospital, four soldiers and two porters succumbed to extreme hypothermia.

Unconfirmed reports claimed several Indian forward positions were also hit by the avalanche. In 2016, 10 jawans were buried in an avalanche in Siachen.

Siachen, known as the world's highest battlefield, is at an altitude of around 20,000 ft above sea level in the Karakoram range. Soldiers posted here battle frostbites and icy winds.