5 Army Personnel Killed During Tank Exercise Near LAC In Ladakh

Five Army soldiers were swept away near Mandir Morh, 148 kilometers away from Leh, during a tank exercise.

Five Indian Army personnel, including one Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and four jawans, tragically lost their lives after their T-72 tank was swept away by flash floods while crossing a river. The mishap occurred in the Daulat Beg Oldie area, and all five bodies have since been recovered.

On the night of Friday, an army tank became stuck in the Shyok River near Saser Brangsa, Eastern Ladakh, following a sudden rise in water levels while de-inducting from a military training activity. Leh-based defense PRO, 14 Corps, confirmed the incident, stating that rescue teams were dispatched to the scene. However, due to the high current and elevated water levels, the rescue mission was unsuccessful, resulting in the loss of the tank crew's lives.

The incident happened The incident took place around 3 a.m. on Friday night, near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Nyoma-Chushul. The bodies of all the soldiers have been recovered.

Officials reported that the incident occurred near Mandir Morh, 148 kilometers from Leh, during an exercise around 1 am.

The incident occurred when the tank, carrying one Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and four Jawans, encountered sudden flash floods, causing it to sink, the officials reported. 

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed sorrow on Saturday regarding the fatalities of five Indian Army soldiers following the accident.

"Deeply saddened at the loss of lives of five of our brave Indian Army soldiers in an unfortunate accident while getting across a river in Ladakh in a tank. We will never forget the exemplary service of our gallant soldiers to the nation," Rajnath Singh said in a post on X.

“There were five soldiers in the tank at the time of the incident including one JCO and 4 Jawans. One person has been located while the search for others is still going on,” defence officials told ANI.