Ladakh avalanche: Body of 2nd soldier found buried under snow

Sunil Rai, a 21-year-old rifleman, was one of the two soldiers struck by an avalanche on Friday morning.

The body of soldier Sunil Rai was recovered buried under snow on Saturday, a day after he was swept away by an avalanche in the Turtuk Sector of Ladakh, army said.

In this file handout photograph released by the Indian Defence Ministry on February 8, 2016, Indian army personnel search for survivors after a deadly avalanche on the Siachen glacier. (AFP)

Rai, a 21-year-old rifleman, was one of the two soldiers struck by an avalanche on Friday morning. Lance Havildar Bhawan Tamang died on Friday after being rescued.

“The mortal remains of the soldiers are being evacuated from the area of the avalanche, after which, a wreath laying ceremony will be conducted to honour the martyrs. Thereafter, they will be transported by air to their native places where they will be accorded funerals with full military honours,” an army spokesperson said.

Rai was a native of Darjeeling in West Bengal and had joined the army in December 2013. He is survived by his parents and two younger brothers.

Tamang is survived by his wife, a six-year-old daughter and parents.

“The Indian Army fraternity stands shoulder to shoulder with the bereaved families in their hour of grief,” said Lt Gen DS Hooda, army commander, Northern Command expressing his condolences to the families.

Inhospitable climate at the high altitudes along the Line of Control has claimed many from the Indian and Pakistani armies.

Last week, a soldier was killed after an avalanche struck an army outpost in the Kargil sector last week.

In February, 10 soldiers died after being buried in an avalanche in the Siachen.