5 soldiers in a tank were swept away while crossing a river near the Chinese border

Five Indian Army soldiers were killed in an accident involving their tank during a river-crossing exercise near the Line of Actual Control in the Daulat Beg Oldi area of ​​Leh in the early hours of Saturday, officials said.

Among the five fatalities in the accident is a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO).

The soldiers were on a routine exercise around 3 am today. As they were crossing the Bodhi river at Mandir Morh, 148 km from Leh, in their T-72 tank, the water level suddenly started rising, official sources said. Soon after, the tank and the soldiers were submerged in the swollen river, they added.

A rescue operation was immediately initiated and all five bodies were recovered.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh led the nationwide mourning for the victims.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of five of our brave Indian soldiers in an unfortunate accident while attempting to move the tank across a river in Ladakh. We will never forget the exemplary service rendered by our brave soldiers to the nation. My deepest condolences go out to the bereaved families. The nation stands with them in this hour of grief,” he posted on X.