Siachen avalanche survivor Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad is currently in comatose and continues to be in shock with low blood pressure. Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad was buried under 25 feet of snow in Siachen six days after the accident on Febrauary 2.

According to the R&R Hospital’s statement, Hanumanthappa has pneumonia and his investigations have revealed liver and kidney dysfunction.

“Lance Naik Hanumanthappa has been placed on a ventilator to protect his airway and lungs in view of his comatose state. Lance Naik Hanumanthappa remains extremely critical and is expected to have a stormy course in the next 24 to 48 hrs,” the doctors said.

“He was severely dehydrated, hypothermic, hypoxic, hypoglycemic and in shock”, added the doctors.

A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and nine other ranks were buried under a mass of snow after their post was hit by the avalanche at the altitude of 19,600 feet close to the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan on February 2.

While Lance Naik Hanamanthappa miraculously survived, the nine other soldiers of the same battalion have been declared dead. Rescue teams have located mortal remains of all the remaining 9 soldiers and they are being brought out from the Avalanche site.

The nine soldiers who met an unfortunate end are Subedar Nagesha TT, Havildar Elumalai, Lance Havildar S Kumar, Lance Naik Sudheesh B, Sepoy Mahesha PN, Sepoy Ganesan G, Sepoy Rama Moorthy N, Sepoy Mustaq Ahmed S and Sepoy Nursing Assistant Suryawanshi SV.