7 soldiers killed as Army bus carrying 26 falls in Shyok river in Ladakh

Ladakh accident: Apart from the seven killed, several others have been severely injured when a vehicle carrying them skidded off the road and fell into the Shyok river in Ladakh on Friday, Army officials said.

Leh: Seven soldiers of  Indian Army soldiers have been killed in a vehicle accident in Ladakh's Turtuk sector, while several others have been seriously injured. A vehicle carrying them skidded off the road and fell into the Shyok river in Ladakh on Friday (May 27), Army officials said. The accident took place in the Tuktuk sector at around 9 am at a place which is around 25 kilometres from Thoise in the Nubra region of Leh district, they said.

The seven Indian Army soldiers who lost their lives have been identified as Subedar Shinde Vijay Rao Sarjerao, Nb Sub Gurudyal Sahu, L/Hav MD Saijal T, Naiks Sandeep Pal, Jadav Prashant Shivaji and Ramanuj Kumar, Lance Naik Bappaditya Khutia.

A party of 26 soldiers was moving in the vehicle from Partapur transit camp to a forward location in sub-sector Hanif, the officials said.
The vehicle skidded off the road and fell into the river, into a depth of 50-60 feet, resulting in injuries to all of them, they said. A rescue operation was carried out swiftly and all the soldiers were evacuated to field hospital in Partapur, the officials said. 

"Seven individuals have been declared fatal 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, including requisition of air effort from the Air Force to shift the more serious casualties to Western Command," an official was quoted by PTI. 

(With Agency inputs)