7 soldiers killed, 19 injured as vehicle falls into Shyok river in Ladakh's Turtuk sector

New Delhi/Jammu, May 27

Seven Indian Army soldiers were killed and 19 others injured in the Tuktuk sector of Ladakh on Friday when the vehicle they were travelling in skidded off the road and fell into the Shyok river.

The Mazda bus bearing number JK 10 6245 was driven by Ahmed Shah, a resident of Changmar, which was carrying 26 soldiers from Nubra to a forward location in sub-sector Hanif in Turtuk. The accident occurred around 9 am at a place near Largyab, Pachhathang.

As per sources in police in Nubra, the driver lost control of the bus and it rolled down into the gorge, resulting in injuries to all the occupants. Seven of them succumbed to injuries, they said.

Soon after the incident, a rescue operation was carried out by Leh police, Army and locals. All the soldiers were evacuated to 403 Field Hospital at Partapur and surgical teams from Leh also moved to Partapur, the officials said.

Col Emron Musavi, Army spokesperson based in Srinagar, said a total of 26 soldiers were travelling in the bus, out of which seven lost their lives. “Ninteen soldiers with non-fatal injuries have been airlifted to the Western Command Hospital, Chandimandir in Panchkula district of Haryana,” he said. 

An FIR has been lodged at a police station in Nubra.