Soldier dead, 3 trapped as avalanche hits Mount Kun
LEH: In a tragic accident, at least one soldier has attained martyrdom while three others are trapped under a massive snow deposit, as an avalanche hit a 40-member strong contingent of Indian Army near Mount Kun in Kargil district of Ladakh.
The contingent was camping on the Mount Kun for a routine training activity, when it was hit by the avalanche on Sunday.
“A contingent of approximately 40 army personnel from the High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) and the Army Adventure Wing of the Indian Army were involved in routine training activities near Mount Kun (Ladakh). Such exercises are standard practice during this season, aiming to provide realistic mountaineering training for HAWS participants as part of “Train the Trainer” concept,” an official from the Army Training Command, Indian Army, said.
Unfortunately, during their training ascent on October 8, the group faced an unexpected avalanche, he said.
“Four of our dedicated personnel were trapped underneath. Immediate rescue operations were initiated and are still continuing. Mortal remains of one person struck by the Avalanche have been recovered in a daring search operation underway,” said the official.
Despite inclement weather and heavy snow pile up, search and rescue operations continue to locate and recover others trapped under the massive snow deposit, he added.
The Kun Peak, it may be mentioned, is a part of Nun Kun mountain massif, located near the Suru valley in Kargil, on the road connecting Kargil and Zanskar, about 61 km south of Kargil and 141 km west of Leh. It is the second highest summit of the massif with elevation of 23,219 ft (7,077 metres) in the western Himalayan Range.
In a remarkable display of determination and valor, a team of mountaineers from the Indian Army’s 19th Dagger Division in July this year had achieved a historic feat by hoisting the tricolor on the towering 7,077-meter high Mount Kun in a record-breaking seven-day expedition. This extraordinary accomplishment had come as part of the Kargil Vijay Divas celebrations, commemorating the victory in the Kargil War.
