A joint search and rescue operation is underway at Hathnikund Barrage in Haryana’s Yamunanagar district after two soldiers of 1 Para Special Forces were swept away by strong currents in the Yamuna river during a night training exercise, officials said on Wednesday.
The incident took place on Tuesday night when five personnel were carrying out a training exercise in an Army boat. The boat developed a technical snag and was carried towards the downstream barrage by strong currents, according to the Chandigarh-based defence public relations officer (PRO).
Efforts were made to retrieve the boat, but it became caught in strong eddies near the sluice gates and capsized. The crew members were then swept away by the strong currents.
Three soldiers managed to swim to safety, while the remaining two were swept downstream and are currently being searched for.
Teams from the Indian Army, Indian Air Force, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) units from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, local police and the civil administration have been deployed for the search and rescue operation.
Two helicopters are conducting aerial surveillance around the barrage and along the downstream canals. The search is being carried out towards Haryana through the Western Yamuna Canal (WJC) and towards Uttar Pradesh through the Eastern Jamuna Canal (EJC).
The Haryana irrigation and water resources department has reduced water discharge at the barrage and the Western Yamuna Canal following a request from the Army to facilitate the search operation.
