3 soldiers’ bodies recovered in Ladakh

Srinagar , Jul 10: In a challenging recovery operation, the bodies of three soldiers , who perished in an avalanche during a mountaineering expedition last October, have been retrieved after being buried under snow for nearly nine months.

Havildar Rohit Kumar, Havildar Thakur Bahadur Ale, and Naik Gautam Rajbanshi were found deep within a crevasse, entombed under thick ice and snow. Their bodies were recovered over the past week, while the body of Lance Naik Stanzin Targais was found shortly after the incident.

In July 2023, a 38-member team from the High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) in Gulmarg embarked on an expedition to Mt. Kun in Ladakh. The expedition began on October 1, with the aim to summit by October 13.

“The terrain and weather in the glaciated region were extremely treacherous. On October 8, while securing ropes on a snow wall between Camp 2 and Camp 3 on the Fariabad Glacier, the team was struck by a sudden avalanche at over 18,300 feet, trapping four members,” sources in Army said.

Despite immediate rescue attempts, the fallen soldiers could not be saved. In keeping with the Army’s ethos of ‘Leaving No Man Behind,’ HAWS mountaineers initiated a mission to recover their comrades’ bodies.

“Operation RTG (Rohit, Thakur, Gautam) was launched on June 18 to retrieve the bodies and was led by Brig S S Shekhawat, the Deputy Commandant of HAWS, and included 88 expert mountaineers,” they said.

Two helicopters were on standby for transporting the bodies and evacuating the rescue team if necessary. A base camp was set up 13 km from the road head at around 14,790 feet, with Maj Gen Bruce Fernandez, Commandant HAWS, overseeing the operation.

The rescue team, operating at 18,300 feet, faced immense challenges. They established a forward base camp on June 25, with two intermediate camps for acclimatization. Equipped with satellite phones, special tents, and advanced tools, and supported by helicopters stationed 20 km away, they prioritized the safety of the search party.

The bodies were eventually recovered and returned to their families with full military honors, bringing closure to their loved ones. The first significant breakthrough came on July 4 when Havildar Kumar’s remains were found 30 feet deep in the crevasse and airlifted to Kumbathang.

On July 7, the team found Havildar Ale’s body 10 feet deeper in the crevasse. The mission’s objective was fully achieved on July 8, with the recovery of Naik Rajbanshi’s remains.