Leh: Three soldiers lost their lives when an avalanche struck Siachen, the world's highest battlefield, in the Union Territory of Ladakh, officials said on Tuesday.

The avalanche occurred in the 12,000-feet-high Siachen base camp area on Sunday, trapping three soldiers, including two Agniveers, the officials said.

“Sepoy Mohit Kumar, Agniveer Niraj Kumar Choudhary and Agniveer Dabhi Rakesh Devabhai made a supreme sacrifice in the line of duty in Siachen on 9th September,” posted Fire and Fury Corps, Indian Army

They said a rescue operation was immediately launched and the bodies of the trapped soldiers were retrieved.

with PTI, ANI inputs