Body of one Siachen avalanche victim found

Jammu, Feb 8: The body of one of the 10 soldiers buried under an avalanche on the Siachen glacier on February 3 was recovered on Monday, officials said.

"After an intense and exhausting search operation, which entered its sixth day today (Monday), rescue parties at the camp site recovered the mortal remains of one martyr," Colonel S.D. Goswami, spokesman of the Indian Army's Udhampur-headquartered Northern Command, told IANS here.

"A new camp has been established at the location to coordinate the recovery efforts as well as to continue vigil in the sensitive area," he said.

Colonel Goswami said recovery teams were cutting through 30-feet-deep ice at multiple locations where the soldiers were believed to have been buried.

"Probable locations are being identified by using specialised equipment," he said.

He said the efforts were being hampered by frequent blizzards, extreme freezing temperatures and low visibility apart from the effects of rarefied atmosphere at such high altitude.

"The teams are working round-the-clock and observing all precautions since the unstable ice and snow in the region could trigger fresh avalanches. Our efforts will continue till (the bodies of) all the soldiers are found," the spokesperson said.

IANS