5 soldiers rescued after avalanche in Macchil sector die

Srinagar: Five soldiers, found trapped under snow in Macchil sector and rescued on Saturday, succumbed to injuries yesterday, taking the toll of army personnel killed in avalanches in Kashmir to 20.

Braving inclement weather, Army aviation pilots yesterday airlifted the five injured soldiers from Macchil to Srinagar for specialised treatment, an army official said.
"Unfortunately, all five brave hearts attained martyrdom," the official said. The five soldiers were trapped under snow at a forward post in Machhil on Saturday but were rescued by avalanche rescue teams.

Meanwhile, the mortal remains of 14 soldiers who died in an avalanche near the Line of Control (LoC) in Gurez sector of north Kashmir last week were also brought to Srinagar so that they could be sent to their native places for last rites.

The inclement weather was hampering the efforts of the army to airlift the mortal remains of the 14 soldiers who died in Gurez sector of Bandipora district on January 25, defence spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia said.

He said Army aviation pilots made repeated attempts during the past week to reach the snow-bound Gurez and Machhil in Kupwara district of north Kashmir and finally managed to evacuate the rescued soldiers besides bringing back the bodies of the deceased soldiers.