Bad weather halts bodies’ evacuation

Ravi Krishnan Khajuria

Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 10

The bodies of nine soldiers who died in the Siachen avalanche could not be brought from Sonam post, at a height of 19,600 feet, because of inclement weather.

“The weather is inclement in the Siachen area. The mortal remains of the martyrs could not be brought down. The weatherman has forecast inclement weather for tomorrow as well,” said a senior Army officer. Helicopters were on standby and they were waiting for the weather to improve, he added.

The officer said mortals remains of the nine martyrs would be ferried to the Hundar Military Hospital in Nubra as soon as the weather turned stable. He said the bodies would be embalmed and put to other procedures by a team of doctors.

He said a wreath-laying ceremony would be held at Hundar, where wreaths would be laid on behalf of Lt Gen SK Patyal, General Officer Commanding of the Leh-based 14 Corps, and other senior officers. He said the mortal remains would be flown to the Thoise military airbase, 160 km from Leh.

“From Thoise, the mortal remains will be flown to New Delhi, where the Army Chief, Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag, will lay wreaths,” he said.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar are likely to pay their last respects before the martyrs are flown to their native places, where the last rites shall be performed with full military honours,” he said.