NEW DELHI (AP) — Five Indian soldiers were killed when a military tank they were traveling in sank while crossing a river in remote region of Ladakh that borders Chinaofficials said Saturday.
The tank sank on Saturday morning due to a sudden rise in water levels in the Shyok River during a military training activity, according to a statement from the Indian Army command center. It said the accident occurred in Saser Brangsa, close to the Line of Actual Control dividing India and China in the Ladakh region.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh called it an “unfortunate accident”.
“We will never forget the exemplary service of our brave soldiers to the nation. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. The nation stands firm with them during this hour of mourning,” Singh wrote on social platform X.
The Indian and Chinese militaries have been locked in a standoff in Ladakh since May 2020when they clashed along the land border in the region, killing 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers.
The skirmish turned into a long-running standoff in the rugged mountainous area, where each side stationed tens of thousands of troops. New Delhi and Beijing held a series of diplomatic and military talks to resolve its worst military conflict in decades.
The border dispute between India and China dates back to the 1950s and the two sides fought a war over it in 1962.
