An Indian solider was found alive six days after being buried under 25 feet of snow, following an avalanche in the country's SIachen glacier on Feb. 3. He is the only survivor among the ten soldiers from his military post, which was located at an altitude of 19,600 feet in Siachen, considered to be the highest and coldest battlefield in the world.
Lance Naik Hanumanthappa was found buried under snow at temperatures of nearly minus 45 degrees celsius by an Indian army rescue party, who were using sniffer dogs and special radar to track bodies in the difficult terrain. The only sign of life shown by him was a pulse.
Hanumanthappa had survived due to an air pocket, despite being covered by 25 feet of snow. He is currently in a critical situation and has been taken to the army hospital in Delhi. According to the recent medical updates, he continues to be in a coma, and is suffering from pneumonia and low blood pressure.
Lance Naik Hanumanthappa, who has been rescued from Siachen avalanche site & is being flown to Delhi. pic.twitter.com/vRYa9aK5bN— ANI (@ANI_news) February 9, 2016
Situated close to the contested India and Pakistan border, the Siachen glacier is known for its harsh weather and inhospitable terrain. Around 800 soldiers have died on the glacier since 1984 due to avalanches, landslides, altitude sickness, and temperatures as low as minus 60 degrees celsius.
Visuals from rescue operations in Siachen for bodies of soldiers buried after an avalanche last week (source-MoD) pic.twitter.com/qKxjGYVn4g— ANI (@ANI_news) February 8, 2016
Visuals from rescue operations in Siachen for bodies of soldiers buried after an avalanche last week (source-MoD) pic.twitter.com/G6sS0qVGSV— ANI (@ANI_news) February 8, 2016
Visuals from rescue efforts in Siachen yesterday after soldiers were buried in an avalanche last week (Source: MoD) pic.twitter.com/koDXI7BI4m— ANI (@ANI_news) February 9, 2016