On April 7, 2012, an avalanche struck Pakistan Army’s permanent base near Siachen Glacier region, trapping 140 soldiers and civilian contractors under deep snow.
It was the worst avalanche that the armed forces experienced in the snow-buried area.
Siachen is in Kashmir. The no-man’s-land is 20,000 feet (6,000 metres) above sea level. Military experts say the inhospitable climate and avalanche-prone terrain have claimed more lives than gunfire.
After the incident, Pakistan Army initiated a search operation which went on for nearly two months. On 29th May 2012, all the soldiers were declared martyrs.
Social media was rife with tributes to Pakistani soldiers who lost their lives in a deadly tragedy in the Gyari sector.
On7April2012, an avalanche hit a Pakmilitarybase in #Gayari Sector ,trapping 140 soldiers+civilians 13000ft above. pic.twitter.com/43PEAQjsx8
— Syeda Sana Zehra (@SyedaSanaZehra1) April 7, 2016
7 April.
Marking the 4th anniversary of 139 martyrs of #Gayari sector.
ہم کوئی شہادت بھولے نہیں pic.twitter.com/Uubax6lZ5W— Ramla (@Ramla_pk) April 7, 2016
Tribute to the Martyrs & Heroes of #Siachin #Gayari sector #PakArmy pic.twitter.com/UP1aJLIUk9
— Mahwish Chaudhry (@Mahwish2222) April 7, 2016
Tribute to #Gayari sector martyrs. Rest in Peace soldiers of #Islam & truly brave soldiers of #Pakistan #Siachen, pic.twitter.com/O9srDbsKAC
— Mahwish Chaudhry (@Mahwish2222) April 7, 2016
Salute to the Martyrs of #Gayari #Pakistan #Army zindabad.
— Muhammad Waseem Asif (@CrushStatusQuo) April 7, 2016
…And They Went Beyond Anything with Everything! #GayariShuhada #Gyari pic.twitter.com/EOocFm61Ut
— Jazba Junoon (@jazba_junoon) April 7, 2016
Today in 2012,140 soldiers&civilians gave their lives to soil when avalanche hit #Gyari at 2am!Hum Koi Shahadat Nahin Bhoole! #GayariShuhada
— Jazba Junoon (@jazba_junoon) April 7, 2016
They braved the weather & faced enemies & when their time came – they died together too. The brave 139 of #Gyari pic.twitter.com/3jNTD0wFwk
— Zaid Hamid (@ZaidZamanHamid) April 7, 2016