3 Army personnel killed as major avalanche hits Siachen base camp in Ladakh

September 9, 2025

Ladakh: Three Army personnel, including two Agniveers, lost their lives on Tuesday in a major avalanche at the Siachen base camp, the world’s highest battlefield. The soldiers, belonging to the Mahar Regiment and hailing from Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand, were trapped under snow for five hours before succumbing.

An Army captain caught in the avalanche was successfully rescued. A large-scale rescue operation is underway, according to sources.

Harsh Terrain and Deadly Conditions

The Siachen Glacier sits on the northern tip of the Line of Control at an altitude of around 20,000 feet. Temperatures can drop to -60°C, and avalanches are a recurring hazard for troops stationed there.

Past Incidents in Siachen and Other High-Altitude Areas

• 2021 — Two soldiers were killed when an avalanche struck sub-sector Haneef in Siachen; others, including porters, were rescued after a six-hour operation.
• 2019 — Four soldiers and two porters died when an avalanche hit a patrol near a post at 18,000 feet.
• 2022 (Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh) — Seven soldiers were killed in the deadliest avalanche of recent years. The force of the slide was so intense that their bodies were recovered three days later.

Steps Taken for Avalanche Safety

In 2022, the Army acquired 20 avalanche rescue systems from a Swedish manufacturer — the first such procurement — to enhance survival chances in avalanche-prone zones like Siachen, Kashmir, and the Northeast. This move followed years of fatalities caused by snow slides and landslides in high-altitude deployments.