5 Army Men Killed as Tank Swept Away While Crossing River in Ladakh

New Delhi: At least five personnel of the Indian Army lost their lives in a tank mishap in Eastern Ladakh on Saturday. The tank in which they were travelling was swept away while crossing a river.

The dead are from the Armoured Regiment of the Indian Army, reported The Tribune.

The Army men were crossing the Shyok river in a T-72 tank as part of a drill to practice movement in exigency. The T-72 tanks have the ability to float on water and keep moving forward.

The Shyok River is key water body that runs past the Depsang plains near Daulat Baig Oldie airfield.

The Shyok descends from the Eastern flank of the Rimo Kangri glacier is tributary of the Indus.

There was a sudden increase in water levels due to snow melt that swept away the tank. The terrain is tree-less and the snow melt at the mountain peaks rushes straight to the river running in the valley.