16 killed as Army truck falls into gorge

NEW DELHI: Sixteen Indian Army personnel including three Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) were killed in a road accident when the vehicle they were travelling in fell into a gorge while negotiating a sharp turn at Zema in North Sikkim, the Army said.

It said four injured soldiers have been air evacuated. “In a tragic accident, involving an Army truck on Dec 23 at Zema in north Sikkim, 16 bravehearts of the Indian Army lost their lives,” the Army said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he is “deeply pained” over the loss of lives of the personnel. “The nation is deeply grateful for their service and commitment,” he said.

The Army said the truck was part of a three-vehicle convoy that moved from Chatten to Thangu when vehicle skidded down a steep slope, negotiating a sharp turn.