Six killed, including four soldiers and two porters, after Indian Army patrol team in Siachen hit by avalanche

Six persons were killed, including four soldiers and two porters, after a team of Indian Army personnel patrolling the Siachen glacier was struck by an avalanche on Monday. The Indian Army told ANI all eight personnel were pulled out of the avalanche debris and taken to the nearest military hospital accompanied by medical teams. The four soldiers and two porters succumbed to extreme hypothermia, ANI reported. The avalanche hit the army positions in the northern glacier around 3:30 pm on Monday. The altitudes in the northern glacier are around 18,000 feet and above. The army personnel hit by the avalanche were part of an eight-member patrolling party and were in the northern glacier when the incident occurred. Siachen Glacier is the world’s highest battlefield and more troops have been killed in weather and terrain-related incidents in the area than in enemy firing. India has deployed troops in its territory since 1984, after Pakistan tried to usurp the glacier by sending its troops and mountaineering expeditions in the area. With inputs from ANI