A joint search and rescue operation is underway at Hathnikund Barrage in Haryana’s Yamunanagar district after two soldiers of 1 Para Special Forces (SF) went missing in the Yamuna river during a night training exercise, officials said on Wednesday.
The incident took place on Tuesday night when a boat carrying five Army personnel encountered a technical snag during the exercise. According to the Chandigarh-based defence public relations officer (PRO), the boat was carried downstream by strong currents towards the barrage.
Army personnel initially attempted to recover the boat, but the vessel became trapped in powerful eddies near the barrage’s sluice gates and eventually capsized. The crew members were swept away by the force of the water.
“Two members of the crew are presently missing,” the defence spokesperson said.
Three of the five soldiers managed to swim to safety after the boat capsized. However, the strong currents carried the remaining two soldiers downstream.
A large-scale search operation has since been launched to locate the missing personnel. 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 are participating in the rescue effort.
The operation is being conducted both on the water and from the air, with two helicopters carrying out aerial surveys of the barrage and areas further downstream.
Search teams are also checking parallel canal systems connected to the barrage, including the Western Yamuna Canal (WJC) towards Haryana and the Eastern Jamuna Canal (EJC) towards Uttar Pradesh.
Authorities have taken steps to make the search operation easier and safer. Following a request from the Army, the Haryana Irrigation and Water Resources Department reduced water discharge at Hathnikund Barrage as well as in the Western Yamuna Canal.
The reduction in water flow is intended to assist rescue personnel in searching areas downstream where the missing soldiers may have been carried by the currents.
Officials said all available resources are being deployed as the multi-agency operation continues. The search is focused on the barrage, downstream stretches of the Yamuna and adjoining canal networks.
The incident occurred during a routine night training exercise involving personnel from the elite 1 Para Special Forces unit. Rescue agencies are continuing efforts to trace the two missing soldiers amid challenging water conditions.
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