New Delhi:

Five soldiers of the Indian Army were killed after their tank met with an accident during a river-crossing exercise near the Line of Actual Control in Leh’s Daulat Beg Oldi area in the early hours of Saturday, officials said.

A Junior Commissioned Officer, or JCO, is among the five killed in the accident that happened around 1 am.

The soldiers were on a training mission and were crossing the Bodhi River near Mandir Morh, 148 kilometres from Leh, on their T-72 tank when suddenly the water levels began to rise, official sources said. Soon the tank and the soldiers were submerged in the swelling river, they added.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh led the nation in mourning the deaths and said: “Deeply saddened at the loss of lives of five of our brave Indian Army soldiers in an unfortunate accident while getting the tank across a river in Ladakh. We will never forget the exemplary service of our gallant soldiers to the nation. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. The nation stands firm with them during this hour of grief,” he posted on X.