Two special forces soldiers swept away after army boat capsizes in Yamuna during training, rescue ops on
Authorities have also reduced the discharge of water from the barrage into the Western Yamuna Canal following a request from the Army.
Two special forces soldiers swept away after army boat capsizes in Yamuna during training, rescue ops on (Image X - Representative)
Two soldiers of the Indian Army's 1 Para Special Forces are missing after a motorboat carrying personnel capsized in the Yamuna during a training exercise at Hathnikund Barrage in Haryana's Yamunanagar district on Tuesday night. A large-scale search and rescue operation was launched after the incident, with teams from the Army, Indian Air Force, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) units of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, police and the local administration joining the operation.
According to the Chandigarh-based defence public relations officer, five personnel were involved in the training exercise when the Army boat developed a technical snag. The boat was subsequently pulled towards the downstream barrage by the strong current.
Rescue teams tried to recover the boat, but it became caught in powerful eddies near the sluice gates and eventually capsized. The personnel were swept away by the fast-moving water. Three soldiers managed to swim to safety, while two remain untraced.
The incident occurred during a night training exercise being conducted by personnel from the 1 Parachute Battalion (Special Forces), based in Nahan, Himachal Pradesh. The soldiers were reportedly wearing life jackets when the accident occurred.
Multi-agency search operation underway
Search teams are looking for the missing soldiers downstream from the barrage. Two Indian Air Force helicopters have also been deployed to conduct aerial surveillance of the area and the downstream canals.
The search is being carried out in both directions from Hathnikund, including areas along the Western Yamuna Canal in Haryana and the Eastern Yamuna Canal towards Uttar Pradesh.
Authorities have also reduced the discharge of water from the barrage into the Western Yamuna Canal following a request from the Army. The move is aimed at slowing the current and making the search operation easier.
Rohtash Kumar, SHO of Pratap Nagar police station, said the police received information about the incident in the evening and immediately joined the rescue efforts. Teams from both Haryana and Uttar Pradesh SDRF have been involved in the operation.
The Army and district authorities have so far not disclosed the identities of the two missing soldiers.
Earlier reports had put the number of missing personnel at one, based on preliminary information available shortly after the accident. The latest update from the defence authorities, however, puts the number at two.
The search operation remains underway as teams continue to scan the river and downstream channels for the missing soldiers.
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