Army Boat Capsizes During Yamuna Drill In Haryana, One Soldier Missing; 3 Swim To Safety

New Delhi: An Indian Army soldier went missing after a motorboat sank during a training and mock drill in the Yamuna River at Haryana's Hathnikund Barrage in Yamunanagar district on Tuesday. Three other soldiers aboard the boat managed to swim to safety following the mishap.

According to officials, Army personnel had reached Hathnikund Barrage for a training exercise. A motorboat carrying four soldiers was deployed in the upstream area of the barrage when it reportedly developed a technical fault and began sinking.

The four soldiers jumped into the river after the boat began going under. They were wearing life jackets but were swept towards the Western Yamuna Canal by the strong water current. Three soldiers managed to swim to safety, while the fourth could not be traced and remains missing.

Soon after the incident, a search-and-rescue operation was launched by the Army and local authorities. A police team from Pratap Nagar police station reached the spot and joined the search operation. The submerged motorboat was subsequently recovered from the river.

Authorities have also taken steps to reduce the water flow in the Western Yamuna Canal to facilitate the search. According to Pratap Nagar police officials, the Irrigation and Water Resources Department was requested to reduce the flow from the Hathnikund Barrage. The district administration was also asked to deploy an NDRF team for the operation.

The strong current has made the search operation challenging, with rescue teams continuing efforts to locate the missing soldier.

The identity of the missing soldier has not been disclosed by officials. The Indian Army had also not issued an official statement on the incident at the time of reporting.

The mishap took place during a routine training exercise at Hathnikund Barrage, where personnel were conducting water-based preparedness and rescue drills. The exact circumstances behind the reported technical failure of the motorboat are yet to be established.

Further details are awaited as the search operation continues.

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