Siachen Soldier Miraculously Survived For 6 Days Buried Under Tonnes Of Ice
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| Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad, Siachen Survivor |
Shailesh Kumar,
New Delhi
Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad of Madras Regiment, who was buried
under ice with 9 other Indian Army soldiers for 6 days miraculously survived. Indian
Army rescuers has found him alive under 25 feet ice in a consistent search and
rescue operation launched in the aftermath of avalanche that hit the Indian
Army post in Siachen Glacier in early hours of 3rd February. According
to sources Lance Naik Hanamanthappa is currently on ventilator on his way to
Army R&R Hospital in Delhi. His survival under is termed as “Siachen Miracle” by
various experts. All Indians are praying for his early recovery. Lance Naik
Hanamanthappa Koppad is resident of village Betadur in Dharwad District of
Karnataka.
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| Spot in Siachen where avalanche hit Indian Army Post (file) |
“In the ongoing
rescue operation at Siachen, of the ten soldiers buried under ice Lance Naik
Hanamanthappa has been found alive, all the other soldiers are regrettably no
more with us”, said Lt. General DS Hooda, Army commander, Northern Command. “The medical
condition of Lance Naik Hanamanthappa is critical but all attempts are being
made to evacuate him to RR hospital in the morning. We hope the miracle
continues. Pray with us”, said Lt. Gen. Hooda in his official statement released
late night.
"These 10 soldiers were in a prefabricated shelter
(Army post). When about 25 to 30 feet snow and ice fell on the shelter, the
structure collapsed giving way to the formation of some air pockets. These men
were burried in snow with wood, snow and other things over them. This one man
was frozen on ground but because of air bubble, he could manage to breath and
hence survived the most inhospitable disaster", says Lt. General (Retd) Syed Ata
Hasnain, who served as Commanding Officer in Siachen and recently retired as
Military Secretary from Indian Army.
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| Spot where Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad was burried under tonnes of ice (file) |
Earlier, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, Defence Minister,
Manohar Parrikar and Army Chief, General Dalbir Singh Suhag had passed on condolence
messages. However, search and rescue operation by Indian Army continued and
reinforcement with equipment including radar was sent for the recovery of possible
survivors.
"The search and rescue efforts from Army were on from
the time avalanche incident came to the notice of Indian Army. Given the
situation, wherein whole ice wall had fallen on the post and all 10 soldiers
burried alive, it is pertinent and a general practice that Prime Minister,
Raksha Mantri pass general condolence messages", adds Lt. General Hasnain.
“It is a miracle and one can assume that ‘God is Indian’. How
did he manage to have air pockets with tonnes of pressure over him is nothing
less than a miracle”.
“He must have had grits and courage to survive under minus
40 degree almost like in a situation trapped in deep freezer”. One can just pray
that he recovers and does not get any long term disability”, adds Air Vice
Marshal (Retd) Manmohan Bahadur, director, Centre for Air Power Studies, who carried
out multiple rescue operations in Siachen Glacier while in service.
Siachen glacier is the highest battlefield on earth. In
1984, Indian forces were deployed following the discovery that Pakistan is sending
foreign excursion teams and expeditions with lision officer from Pakistani Army.
The Line of Control northward of point NJ9842 is still not defined. Hundreds of
Indian soldiers lost their lives to protect motherland. According to defence sources, withdrawal of
soldiers from Siachen is not possible until the line is properly demarcated and
delineated. Surviving in Siachen is itself a challenge, surviving blizzards,
frostbite is courage but surviving avalanche buried under tonnes of ice is no
less than a miracle. Indian Army’s efforts let this miracle happen as rescue
operation in such inhospitable conditions in itself is no less than a miracle.
Siachen Soldier Miraculously Survived For 6 Days Buried Under Tonnes Of Ice
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