Siachen records more deaths of troops in 4 months than last 3 years

Fourteen soldiers lost their lives while serving in the Siachen Glacier, the highest battlefield in the world, in the last four months— a number which is more than the deaths that occurred during each of the three previous years.

As per the data provided by the Army’s Northern Command, nine soliders lost their lives last year, eight in 2014 and 10 in 2013. As many as 41 soldiers have died from 2013 till March 31, 2016, at the glacier in Jammu and Kashmir.

Giving further details, Defence Ministry spokesman Col SD Goswami said, “Troops being posted in high altitude areas are trained in Basic & Advance skills in mountains and snow bound areas. Troops posted in Avalanche Prone Areas are subjected to series of training in the field formation area”. He said medical equipment exists in all posts to cater for emergencies and best quality of winter clothing and equipment is procured to prevent weather related casualties. The weather conditions in the sector are closely monitored by the Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment stations at Sasoma and Srinagar.