13 armymen killed, 15 injured in avalanche-hit in Kashmir

Monday 08 February, 2010: In one of the most tragic incidents, 13 army personnel, including an officer, were killed and 15 seriously injured when a group of about 350 men were swept away by a snow avalanche while setting up a winter warfare camp at Khilanmarg, 70 kms from Srinagar.

An army spokesman, Colonel J S Brar, said that scores more were still missing as rescuers were searching for them in deep snow. Seventy personnel have been rescued, he said.

The dead included an officer, Lt Prateek, and twelve other ranks from the Army's prestigious High Altitude Warfare School, he said.

Some of those seriously injured are in a critical condition in a hospital in the scenic tourist spot of Gulmarg. ...Read More