Heavy snow hampers efforts to trace Madras Regiment men

Rescue operations were on Thursday intensified with induction of specialised teams, sniffer dogs and equipment to trace the 10 Army personnel trapped under a mass of snow after an avalanche hit a high altitude military post in Siachen Glacier. 

A Defence spokesman said that blocks of snow had fallen on the post, burying it very deep. “To clear the same is a very difficult task”, he said, adding that building on Wednesday’s efforts, a very large rescue team has been deployed to reach down till the post. “The rescue operations have been intensified with induction of specialised teams and equipment to trace the missing army men”, the spokesman said. 

Heavy snow cutters and special equipment has been put to use to clear and cut the ice blocks. 

“As of now rescue operations are still on. Further progress will be intimated”, the spokesman said. The avalanche hit a high altitude post situated at 19,600 feet in Northern Glacier sector in Ladakh region on Wednesday. A JCO and nine jawans were trapped under the avalanche. 

The missing personnel were attached to Madras battalion stationed at the post, which is now buried under tonnes of snow. The Army and IAF teams are battling harsh weather conditions and difficult terrain to trace the missing soldiers.