A major military training accident took place at the Hathnikund Barrage in the Yamunanagar district of Haryana when an Army boat carrying five jawans was swept away by strong river currents. The commandos were participating in a specialized heliborne water-skills training exercise involving an Indian Air Force Chinook helicopter. Following a sudden technical failure in the boat's engine near gate number 8 of the Western Yamuna Canal diversion, the craft lost control in the turbulent waters. While three soldiers managed to save themselves through quick action, two commandos remain missing. A massive multi-agency search and rescue drive is currently underway across a 20 to 35 kilometer search zone.
Sequence of Events During the Hathnikund Water Exercise
According to official details, the commandos had arrived at Hathnikund Barrage from their training center based in Nahan, Himachal Pradesh, to conduct joint water-skills operational drills. The exercise was being executed after obtaining mandatory formal authorization from the local Irrigation Department. On Tuesday evening around 6 PM, the jawans jumped into the river waters directly from a Chinook helicopter as part of the specialized drill. However, shortly after the drop near diversion gate number 8 of the Western Yamuna Canal, the boat experienced a sudden technical glitch, causing its engine to shut down unexpectedly.
With the propulsion failing completely, the powerful current of the river seized control of the boat, dragging it downstream toward the barrage gates. Recognizing the immediate danger, all five jawans leaped into the raging water to avoid being crushed or submerged with the vessel. Although every commando was equipped with standard safety life jackets, the extreme speed and force of the current created highly hazardous conditions. The drifting boat eventually got jammed at gate number 8 of the Western Yamuna Canal and was later retrieved by rescue teams.
Escape and Survival: How Three Commandos Made It Out
In the high-stakes struggle against the violent water flow, three jawans demonstrated exceptional survival skills. One commando managed to grab hold of the structural gate mechanism and climbed up to safety. Two other soldiers battled the heavy currents, swimming a distance of approximately 100 meters before successfully reaching the shore. Unfortunately, the remaining two commandos were swept downstream by the swift waters and could not be immediately located.
Military sources and local officials confirmed that of the two missing commandos, one hails from Jammu and Kashmir while the second belongs to Maharashtra. With more than 20 hours having elapsed since the evening accident occurred, concern for the safety of the two missing soldiers remains extremely high among military commanders and civil authorities.
Massive Multi-Agency Search and Rescue Drive
The accident immediately triggered high alert across military formations and civil administration in Yamunanagar. A large-scale search operation was organized, bringing together specialized units from multiple agencies. Around 100 Indian Army personnel were deployed to scour the riverbanks and downstream areas. Concurrently, teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) originating from both Yamunanagar and neighboring Uttar Pradesh arrived at the location on Tuesday evening to execute systematic water searches.
To assist the ground and water operations, IAF helicopters were dispatched to conduct continuous aerial surveillance over the Hathnikund Barrage and adjacent river channels. Pratapnagar Police Station In-charge Rohtash Kumar confirmed that police forces arrived swiftly to support the rescue mobilization. In an official press release, the Indian Army stated that during joint water-skills training at Hathnikund Barrage, a boat was caught in strong currents and swept downstream. A coordinated search effort involving the Indian Army, IAF, local police, and civil administration continues relentlessly over a 20 to 35 kilometer radius to locate the missing jawans.
