New Delhi, Feb 9: Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad, who was miraculously found alive after remaining buried in snow for six days, was today flown to the Research and Referral Hospital here from Siachen glacier.His condition is critical but stable and he is undergoring various tests in the hospital, army sources said. Earlier, he was evacuated to the army’s base camp atSiachen Glacier from where was flown to Delhi in a special air ambulance. He was brought to the Palam technical airport and airlifted to the hospital, the sources said. Koppad, who hails from Karnataka, was found alive Monday after being buried under 25 feet of snow for six days following an avalanche hitting his post at the altitude of 19,600 feet close to the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan where the temperature was minus 45 degrees Celsius.
The other nine personnel at the post, including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and eight other ranks of Madras Regiment, have died, according to Lt Gen D S Hooda, Northern Army Commander. “Five bodies have been recovered so far and four bodies have been identified,” he has said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to Army’s Research and Referral Hospital here to see Lance Naik Hanumanthappa. “Going to see Lance Naik Hanumanthappa, with prayers from the entire nation,” Modi tweeted just before visiting the hospital.
