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2012 Siachen Glacier avalanche

Aerial view of the site of avalanches where some 135 people including 124 Pakistani soldiers are missing on the Siachen Glacier - General Ashfaq Kiyani visiting the Siachen Avalanches Site - Photo Courtesy ISPR HandoutOn 7 April 2012, an avalanche hit a Pakistani military base near the disputed Siachen Glacier, trapping at least 135 soldiers and civilian contractors under deep snow (See list below). It is the worst avalanche that the Pakistani military has experienced in the area.

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Siachen Breaking News
Siachen Glaciers
Siachen Conflict

Avalanche Incident

Around 6:00 am Pakistan Standard Time (PKT) on 7 April 2012, a massive avalanche struck a Pakistani military headquarters at Gayari near the disputed Siachen glacier. Located in a valley between two peaks at 4,572 metres (15,000 feet) above sea level, the Gayari base is one of the most important Pakistani bases in the area. It is a vital supply hub for troops and materiel passing through to more remote bases, and is not far from a military hospital. At the time of the avalanche, the base was occupied by soldiers of the 6th Northern Light Infantry battalion, a unit “trained in mountain operations”. Avalanches are uncommon in the area of Gayari; due to the low risk, Gayari was a bigger complex and housed many more soldiers than other bases in Siachen.

Initial reports indicated that at least 100 Pakistani soldiers, including a colonel and a commander, had been trapped under an estimated 21 metres (70 feet) of snow, covering an area of 1 square kilometre. The number of people missing was later stated to be at least 135: “at least 124 soldiers and 11 civilian contractors”. No communication with any person from the base was reported after the avalanche. A list of 135 names of those missing was later released by the Inter Services Public Relations of Pakistan Armed Forces

Rescue operation

An avalanche rescue operation was quickly launched by the Pakistani military. Over 150 soldiers—using helicopters, rescue dogs, and heavy machinery airlifted from the main garrison in Rawalpindi—began searching the area for the missing soldiers and contractors, with “a team of doctors and paramedics” standing by. Local reports initially indicated that the operation had recovered at least 12 bodies by the end of the day, but official reports stated that no victims had been found, dead or alive.

Due to the remoteness and extreme weather conditions, rescue operations were expected to take several days to complete. Nevertheless, official Pakistani military sources remained “hopeful”, and an anticipated improvement in weather conditions was expected to quicken the operation after initial efforts on the night of 7–8 April were cut short due to bad weather and darkness.

However, other sources expressed a much more grave view of the situation. An unnamed senior military officer said “All we can do now is pray. It is such a desperately tough place that it need a miracle for someone to have survived.” Pakistani Army Colonel Sher Khan, an expert in mountain warfare sent by the military to oversee the rescue operation, said that “there is no hope, there is no chance at all” for those buried under the snow, and noted that any survivors of the avalanche itself would have died within minutes from exposure to the elements.

By 9 April, rescue crews working at the scene of the disaster had managed to clear an area of snow measuring approximately 12 metres (40 feet) in length, 9 metres (30 feet) in width, and 3 metres (10 feet) in depth, but despite initial hopes for clearer conditions, inclement weather continued to hamper the operation. A team of eight U.S. military experts sent to Pakistan to assist the over 300 Pakistanis—286 soldiers and 60 civilians by this time—already working at the disaster area was unable to make it to the far northern site due to the weather, and official military statements still indicated that no bodies or survivors had been found by rescuers. The Pakistan Army had dispatched its chief of staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, to Siachen lead the operation. Two additional groups of foreigners were also expected to arrive in Islamabad on the evening of 9 April the country to provide further aid: three Swiss “experts” and a six-member German “disaster management team” with additional equipment.

List of officers, soldiers buried beneath avalanche

List of Officers, Junior Commissioned Officers and Soldiers of 6 Northern Light Infantry Battalion, who came under avalanche issued in a press release here on Tuesday.

The names along with complete details are given below:

1. PA-32596 Lt Col Tanvir Ul Hassan Vill: Waulah P/O : Walluh, Teh: Chua Sadian Shah Dist: Chakwal married;
2. PA-39548 Maj Zaka Ul Haq Sarwar Shaheed Chowk, Kot Adu Distt Muzzaffar Garh married;
3. PA-105358 Capt Dr Hleem Ulah Jan House no 19 St No 1 Gulshan Colony GT Rd, Peshawar un-Married, JCOs/ Sldrs;
4. PJO-141812 N/Sub Abdul Malik Vill: Tangar Bala, P/O: Tangar Bala, Teh : Tangar Bala, Dist: Diamar married;
5. PJO-141820 N/Sub Deedar Karim Vill : Karim Abad, P/O : Karim Abad, Teh : Ali Abad, Dist: Hunza married;
6. PJO-141544 N/Sub Khurshid Ahmed Vill: Kel, P/O : Kel, Teh : Sharda, Dist: Neelum married;
7. PJO-141768 N/Sub/Clk Iftikhar Ali Vill: Kawarda, P/O: Kawarda, Teh: Skardu, Dist: Skardu, married;
8. 2845952 Hav Ghulam Muhammad Vill: Halmat, P/O : Naroon, Teh: Sharda Dist: Neelum married;
9. 2850088 Hav Muhammad Gulfraz Vill : Putnarah, P/O : Dhani, Teh: Muzaffarabad, Dist: Muzaffarabad married;
10. 2852721 Hav Muhammad Rustam Ali Vill: Kharko, PO: Dangdaghonar, Teh: Dangdaghonar, Dist: Ghanche married;
11. 2850434 Hav Musaddaq Hussain Butt Vill: Neelam, P/O : Kiran, Teh : Athmuqam, Dist: Mzd (AK)r Married;
12. 2850498 Hav Rehbar Hussain Vill: Thoi, P/O: Thoi, Teh : Ghubas, Dist: Ghizer married;
13. 2850375 Hav Shad Hussain Vill: Sumal, P/O : Gopis, Teh: Gopis, Dist: Ghizer married;
14. 2850178 Hav Shafait Ali Vill: Chungra, P/O : Astore, Teh : Astore, Dist: Astore married;
15. 2849250 Hav Hafiz Shah Nawaz Vill: Phulway, P/O : Janway, Teh : Athmuqam, Dist: Mzd (AK) married;
16. 2854189 Hav Tanveer Hussain, Att from 15 NLI, Vill: Mangowal Rabbi, P/O: Mangowal Rabbi Teh : Gujrat, Dist: Gujrat married;
17. 2849959 Hav Zakir Hussain Vill: Broqbos, P/O: Gultri, Teh: Gultri, Dist: Skardu married;
18. 2850257 Hav/Clk Muhammad Ishaq Vill: Olding, P/O: Skardu, Teh: Skardu, Dist: Skardu married;
19. 2845909 Hav/Clk Sher Nayab Khan Vill: Yangal, P/O: Gopis, Teh: Gopis, Dist: Ghizer married;
20. 2848717 L/Hav Ghulam Mustafa Vill : Gilgit, P/O : Gilgit, Teh: Gilgit, Dist: Gilgit married;
21. 2848128 L/Hav Ghulam Qadir Vill: Karim Abad, P/O: Kel, Teh: Sharda, Dist: Neelum married;
22. 2849861 Nk Muhammad Ashraf Vill : Khinar, P/O : Chilas, Teh : Chilas, Dist: Diamer married;
23. 2850451 Nk Muhammad Naseem Vill : Rehman Pur, P/O : Astore Teh : Astore Dist: Astore Married;
24. 2853184 Nk Sartaj Alam Vill : Jaglot, P/O : Jaglot, Teh : Jaglot Dist: Gilgit Married;
25. 2856690 Nk/Clk Ghulam Ali Vill : Mural, P/O : Mural Teh : Khurram Dist: Skardu Married;
26. 2850644 Nk/Clk Ghulam Mehdi Vill : Kawarda, P/O : Kawarda Teh : Skardu, Dist: Skardu Married;
27. 2849357 Lnk Abdul Jabbar Vill : Thoab P/O : Thoab Teh : Bagh Dist: Bagh Married;
28. 2852826 Lnk Ghulam Mustafa Vill : Darley P/O : Astore Teh: Astore, Dist: Astore married;
29. 2853910 Sep Hamait Hussain Vill : Jalalabad P/O : Jalalabad Teh : Gilgit Dist: Gilgit Married;
30. 2855333 Lnk Altaf Hussain Vill : Dangsaral P/O : Muzaffarabad Teh : Muzaffarabad Dist: Muzaffarabad Married;
31. 2857251 Lnk Abdul Irfan Att from 15 NLI Vill Akbar PO Talhare Teh Daska Distt Sialkot married;
32. 2655804 Sep Muhammad Irshad Khan Vill : Neelum P/O : Kiran Teh : Athmuqam Dist: Neelum married;
33. 2857817 Lnk Mir Hussain Vill : Sumbal, P/O : Sumbal, Teh : Gopis Dist: Ghizer married;
34. 2848927 Lnk Muhammad Riaz Vill : Kel P/O : Kel Teh : Sharda Dist: Neelum Married;
35. 2857845 Lnk Sami Ullah Vill : Nonut P/O : Jaglot Teh : Jaglot Dist: Gilgit Un married;
36. 2853723 Up/Lnk Muhammad Naeem Khan Vill : Dunnt Kachli, P/O : Muzaffarabad Teh: Muzaffarabad, Dist: Muzaffarabad married,
37. 2859016 Sep Muhammad Abid Naveed Att from 15 NLI Vill: Tapee, PO Kohat Teh Kohat Distt Kohat un-married;
38. 2854276 Sep Akhtar Hussain Vill : Deokor, P/O : Shiger, Teh : Shiger, Dist: Skardu Married;
39. 2859317 Sep Aksar Zaman Vill: Khari, PO: Siri Kot, Teh : Ghazi Dist: Hari Pur married;
40. 2857145 Sep Ali Muhammad Vill : Marapi P/O : Shiger Teh : Shiger Dist: Skardu married;
41. 2853175 Sep Ali Zar Vill : Teru P/O : Teru Teh : Gopis Dist: Ghizer married;
42. 2858975 Sep Arif Hussain Att from 7 NLI Vill : Thally P/O : Akbarabad Teh : Gultari Dist: Skardu married;
43. 2856756 Sep Didar Hussain Vill : Derik, P/O : Rawalakot Teh : Rawalkot Dist: Bagh married;
44. 2861032 Sep Ehsan Ullah Vill : Niat P/O : Chilas Teh : Chilas Dist: Diamer married;
45. 2856373 Sep Fazal Abbas Att from 2 NLI Vill : Churka P/O : Churka Teh : Shiger Dist: Skardu married; 46. 2856725 Sep Fayyaz Ahmed Vill : Down Room P/O : Nawab Jersi Khan Teh : Plandri Dist: Sudhnoti Un Married;
47. 2854463 Sep Fida Hussain Vill : Marapi P/O : Shiger Teh : Shiger Dist: Skardu Married;
48. 2837709 Sep Ghazi Shah Vill : Gohar Abad P/O : Gohar Abad Teh : Chilas Dist: Diamer Married;
49. 2861713 Sep Ghulam Hussain Vill : Thalay P/O : Thalay Teh : Khaplu Dist: Ghanche;
50. 2854355 Sep Ghulam Mehdi Vill : Thagas P/O : Thagas Teh : Khaplu, Dist: Ghanche un-married;
51. 2857334 Sep Ghulam Rasul Vill & PO: Devriam Teh : Athmuqal Dist: Neelam married;
52. 2852400 Sep Gul Madad Att from 2 NLI Vill & PO Rawoshan, The Gopis, Distt Gyzer married;
53. 2858890 Sep Ghulab Shah Vill : Umal Chat P/O : Umal Chat, Teh : Gopis Dist: Ghizer un-married;
54. Sep Hamid Ullah;
55. 2857214 Sep Ilyas Ali Vill : Khar Kulhar P/O : Daghani Teh : Khaplu Dist: Ghanche married;
56. 2863102 Sep Imtiaz Ahmed Vill : Harcho, P/O : Harcho, Teh : Astore Dist: Astore married;
57. 2857181 Sep Irfan Khalil Vill : Labgran P/O : Ralawakot Teh : Rawalakot Dist: Bagh un-married;
58. 2860074 Sep Muhammad Ishaq Vill : Goth Mehrab, P/O : Musafar Khana Teh : Bahawalpur Dist: Bahawalpur un-married;
59. 2854761 Sep Israr Ahmed Vill : Chamba Gali P/O : Balouch Teh : Plandri, Dist: Sudhnoti married;
60. 2863434 Sep Juma Khan Vill : Shiger P/O : Shiger Teh : Shiger, Dist: Skardu un-married;
61. 2856277 Sep Khawaja Mumtaz Ahmed Vill : Surgon P/O : Surgon, Teh : Sharda, Dist: Neelum married;
62. 2855252 Sep Malik Riaz Kashif Vill: Lubgran, P/O : Leepa, Teh : Hattian Bala, Dist: Muzaffarabad married;
63. 2853996 Sep Muhammad Akbar Vill : Gamba P/O : Gamba Teh : Gamba Dist: Skardu married;
64. 2857145 Sep Muhammad Ali Vill : Kawardu P/O : Kawardu Teh : Skardu Dist: Skardu married;
65. 2853267 Sep Muhammad Ali Att from 9 NLI Vill : Talu Broq P/O : Dambodas Teh : Roundu Dist: Skardu married;
66. 2862186 Sep Muhammad Amin Vill : Kunais P/O : Gorosi Teh : Khaplu Dist: Ghanche Married;
67. 2850132 Lnk Muhammad Arshad Vill & PO Chanaria Teh Hattian, Muzzarfarabad Married;
68. 2862876 Sep Muhammad Hussain Vill : Faltux P/O : Gultari Teh : Gultari Dist: Skd un married;
69. 2862641 Sep Muhammad Hussain Vill : Skardu P/O : Skardu Teh : Skardu Dist: Skardu un-married;
70. 2854147 Sep Muhammad Iqbal Vill : Kashmal P/O : Shiger Teh : Shiger Dist: Skardu married;
71. 2862836 Sep Muhammad Ishaq Vill : Kachura P/O : Gamba Teh : Gamba Dist: Skardu un-married;
72. 2852734 Sep Muhammad Jamil Vill : Phulwai P/O : Janwai Teh : Sharda Dist: Neelum married;
73. 2856082 Sep Muhammad Javed Vill : Gehal P/O : Gala Kanat Teh : Baloch Dist: Sudhnoti un-married;
74. Sep Muhammad Javed Vill : Ghizer P/O : Ghizer Teh : Ghizer Dist: Ghizer;
75. Sep Muhamamd Khan;
76. 2854768 Sep Muhammad Nadeem Khan Vill : Bangrin P/O : Malot, Teh : Bagh Dist: Bagh married;
77. 2860000 Sep Muhammad Sadiq Vill : Yaugma P/O: Gultri Teh : Gultri Dist: Skardu married;
78. 2856045 Sep Muhammad Sajid Vill: Bararkot P/O: Barakot, Teh: Muzaffarabad Dist: Muzaffarabad un-married;
79. 2858176 Sep Muhammad Salim Vill : Hochy P/O : Glt Teh : Tangir Dist: Diamer married;
80. 2855227 Sep Muhamamd Waseem Vill : Chabrir Battom P/O : Afzal Pur Teh : Bhimber Dist: Bhimber un-married;
81. 2855769 Sep Muhammad Zulqarnain Vill: Lala P/O : Attahmuqam Teh : Attahmuqam Dist: Neelum married;
82. 2855219 Sep Nadeem Khan Vill : Rangla P/O : Rangla Teh : Dherkot Dist: Bagh Married;
83. 2858411 Sep Nadir Wali Vill : Phandar P/O : Phandar Teh : Gopis Dist: Ghizer Married;
84. 2859184 Sep Nafas Ali Shah Vill : Phandar P/O : Phandar Teh : Gopis Dist: Ghizer un-married;
85. 2850525 Sep Najeeb Ullah Vill : Jaglot P/O : Jaglot Teh : Gilgat Dist: Gilgat married;
86. 2863560 Sep Nasir Hussain Vill : Dass Khararn P/O : Ehalam Teh :Shountar Distt : Astore un-married;
87. 2862769 Sep Nasir Hussain Vill & PO : Jalalabad Teh : Glt Dist: Glt un-married;
88. 2855241 Sep Ranzaib Vill : Gais Pain P/O : Gonar Form Teh : Chilas Dist: Diamer married;
89. 2856392 Sep Rashid Hussain Vill : Pattan Sher Khan P/O : Mong Teh : Plandri Dist: Sudhnoti (AK) Married;
90. 2856701 Sep Rehmat Wali Vill : Yasin P/O : Thoi, Teh : Yasin Dist: Ghizer Married;
91. 2855320 Sep Sakhi Zaman Vill : Janwai P/O : Thoi Teh : Shahrda Dist: Neelam married;
92. 2862673 Sep Sana Ullah Vill : Darot P/O : Jaglot Teh : Gilgat Dist: Gilgat un-married;
93. 2859590 Sep Sarfraz Abdullah Vill: Dadhinial P/O : Jaglot Teh : Authmaqam Dist: Neelam Married;
94. 2854989 Sep Muhammad Shamim Khan Distt: Kajtul P/O : Hari Gal Teh & Distt : Bagh (AK) un-married;
95. 2860948 Sep Shamsheer Vill: Dadoshote, P/O : Dadoshaote Teh : Gopis Dist: Ghizer un-married;
96. 2852500 Lnk Sharafat Din Vill : Thak P/O : Chillas Teh : Dadoshote Dist: Diamer Married;
97. 2861872 Sep Siraj Din Vill : Astore P/O : Astore Teh : Astore Dist: Astore un-married;
98. 2859365 Sep Soba Khan, 2 NLI Chak No 1 RB PO: Dulewala Tayyab Khan Teh : Darya Khan Dist: Bhakkar Married;
99. 2855692 Sep Sultan Mehmood Vill : Narsher Ali P/O : Dhulli Teh : Bagh Dist: Bagh un-married;
100. 2855864 Sep Syed Sajjad Kazmi Vill : Safabala P/O : Hattian Teh : Hattian Dist: Hattian married;
101. 2854296 Sep Zakar Hussain Vill : Skardu P/O : Skardu Teh : Skardu Dist: Skardu married;
102 2860743 Sep Zakir Hussain Vill : Kawardu P/O : Kawardur Teh : Ghamba Dist: Skardu un-married;
103 2857206 Sep/Clk Abdul Karim Vill : Zaipore P/O : Terishing Teh : Astore Dist: Astore un-married;
104 2862424 Sep/Clk Ashraf Hussain Vill : Franu P/O : Piun Teh : Khaplu Dist: Ghanche un-married;
105. 2857794 Sep/Clk Muhammad Riaz Vill: Agzan Khel PO: Kirri Teh : Pahar Pur
Dist: D.I. Khan un-married;
106. 2864417 Sep/Clk Muhammad Shoaib Vill : Nara P/O : Nara Teh : Attock Dist: Attock un-married;
107. 2859477 Sep/Ck Fida Hussain Vill : Kharkoo P/O : Daghni Teh : Khaplu Dist: Ghanche married;
108. 2849104 Sep/Ck Ghulam Mehdi Vill : Kiahong P/O: Karwardu Teh : Skardu Dist: Skardu Married;
109. 2861162 Sep/Ck Muhammad Ali Vill : Tous P/O: Tous Teh : Gopis Dist: Ghizer un-married;
110. 2863602 Sep/Ck Mukhtar Hussain Vill : Phandar, P/O: Phandar Teh : Gopis Dist: Ghizer un-married;
111. 2861677 Sep/Ck Zaheer Ali Vill: Landra PO: Dhadu Chak Teh: Shakar Garh, Dist: Narowal un-married;
112. 2854796 Sep/Ck /Mess Raja Siraj Ud Din Vill : Sari P/O: Chakoti Teh : Hattaina Dist: Muzaffarabad Married;
113. Mess Waiter Abdul Jalil Butt Vill: Halmat PO: Halmat Teh : Sharda Dist: Neelum (AK) Married;
114. Masalchi Abdul Hameed Mughal Vill: Chadul Dhernal PO: Bherui Teh & Dist Mzd (AK) Married;
115. 2849602 Swpr Ali Vill : Haspapa P/O: Dambodas Teh : Roundu Dist: Skardu married;
116. 2849622 Swpr Muhammad Shakeel Vill : Darla Pain P/O: Darla Pain Teh : Astore Dist: Skardu Married;
117. 2861253 Swpr Asif Masih Vill : Chak No 670 GB PO: Rana Abad Teh: Kamalia Dist: TT Singh Married;
118. 2862383 Swpr Moon Gul Vill : Chak No 118 PO: Sangla Hill Teh : Sangla Hill Dist : Nankana Sahib un-married;
119. 2860424 Swpr Naveed Masih Vill : Qadir Colony Chak Laskari PO: Naseera Teh : Khn Dist: Gujrat un-married;
120. – Tlr Shabbir;
121. – Barbar Nasrullah Sargodha;
122. – Barber Muhammad Amir;
123. – Canteen Contractor Waheed;
124. Canteen Worker Muhammad Azeem Vill : Thugus P/O: Thugus Teh : Thugus Dist: Ghanche;
125. – Dhobi Worker Noor Shah Ali Vill : Garm Chasma P/O: Chitral Teh : Chitral Dist: Chitral;
126. – Sarfraz Vill : Garm Chasma P/O: Chitral, Teh : Chitral Dist: Chitral;
127. – Wali Vill : Garm Chasma, P/O: Chitral, Teh : Chitral Dist: Chitral;
128. – NCB Ghulam Rasool Vill : Halmat P/O: Nikro Teh : Sharda Dist: Neelam;
129. 3349495 Hav Gul Daraz Att from 615 FS Sec Vill Mera Khel, PO Shinawala, Gudai Khel, Takhat e Nusratee Karak married;
130. 1738374 Nk/Engr Muddassar Iqbal Vill : Khawaspur P/O Lala Musa Teh : Khn, Dist: Gujrat married;
131. 4427842 Nk/Cfn VM, EME Aftab Ahmed Vill : Miani P/O: Aatija Teh: Larkana Dist: Larkana married;
132. 4412693 Nk/Cfn VM, EME Ansar Mehmood Vill : Sadwal P/O: Sadwal Teh: Chakwal Dist: Chakwal married;
133. 4431830 Sep/Elec, EME Adil Masih Vill & PO: Chak 84/NB Teh & Dist Sargodha un-married;
134. 4433642 Sep/Elec, EME Muzammal Hussain Pandi Mana, Shakargrah, Narowal un-married;
135. 7369407 Sep/NA, AMC Muhammad Zaman Vill & PO: Samro Road Teh : Umar Kot Dist: Umar Kot married;
136. 3689412 Lnk Sig Tech Ghulam Haider19 Sig Bn Muhallah Gulsher, Kashmore, Kandkot, Jaccobabad married;
137. 3698179 Sep/Sig Tech Mehtab Alam 19 Sig Bn Vill & PO: Ahmed Din Teh :Daur Dist: Nawab Shah married and
138. 3694566 Sig/Man (Op) Jafar Hussain Att from 76 Sig Bn Vill : Mahni PO: Hyderabad Thal Teh: Mankera Dist: Bhakkar married

More Links:

List of Pakistan Army Officers, Soldiers in Siachen Avalanche Incident
Siachen Glaciers
Siachen Conflict
Avalanche Meaning in Urdu via Urdu Dictionary