Seven soldiers killed after army vehicle falls into Shyok river in Ladakh

Seven Indian Army soldiers were killed on Friday and another 19 injured in Ladakh’s Turtuk sector after the vehicle carrying them skidded off the road and tumbled into the Shyok river, army officials said.

The accident took place at 9 am around 25 km from Thoise.

The 26 soldiers were moving in an army truck from the transit camp at Partapur, where an Indian Army brigade is headquartered; to a forward location in an area the army calls Sub Sector Hanif.

“The vehicle skidded off the road and fell into Shyok river to a depth of around 50-60 feet, resulting in injuries to all occupants,” said one of the officials cited above.

The soldiers were initially evacuated to 403 Field Hospital at Partapur, and later flown to Chandigarh for treatment at the Western Command Hospital, one of the army’s finest medical facilities in the country.

“Seven individuals have been declared dead so far. There are grievous injuries to others as well. Dedicated efforts are underway to ensure that the best medical care is provided to the injured,” said the second official.

The incident is a reminder of how soldiers put their lives on the line daily to carry out their duties in remote areas, said another official.