Air pocket may have assist Siachen soldier survive 25 feet of ice

An air pocket may have assisted Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad survive while buried under around 25 feet of ice at least a week back at the Siachen Glacier in Jammu and Kashmir, have been survived by the army two days ago. Siachen veterans said the window of survival at those heights - Koppad was trapped in an avalanche at 20,500 feet - was barely two to three days. But a pre-fabricated structure at the Sonam post may have flopped in a manner that created an air pocket, providing Koppad enough air to keep going for six days - nothing less than a miracle at those frigid heights – they added. Soldiers deployed at the highest battleground in the world where temperatures regularly plunge to -55 degree Celsius are trained at the Siachen Battle School to look for air pockets and know how to clear the snow near the nose and the mouth so that they can keep breathing. Army officers said a powerful will to survive was another critical factor that helped the soldier to keep going. “He fought hard for his survival. He didn’t give up. Else, he would have perished too,” said army officer.