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Rediff.com  » News » Rafting accident: Indian soldier's body recovered

Rafting accident: Indian soldier's body recovered

By Natasha Chaku in Melbourne
January 14, 2009 16:20 IST
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The Tasmanian police on Wednesday recovered the body of Indian soldier Kailash Rana, who went missing last week while being part of a joint Indo-Australian rafting expedition.

Rana, 26, was on a rafting expedition in Franklin river in Tasmania on Friday, when he was pulled into surging rapids and failed to surface, the Tasmanian police told PTI.

He was one of the five Indian Army officers, taking part in the rafting expedition with Australian troops in the southern island state.

The police said they were able to retrieve the body from a rock ledge using a winch and a helicopter.

Rana's body would be flown to Hobart for an inquest, Western District Inspector Brian Edmonds said.

"This has been an extended search operation, which involved a team effort by the police, army, other rafters on the river and the highly skilled kayakers from the Derwent Canoe Club," he said.

"I wish to thank them all for their important contribution. This event is indeed a tragedy in the remote west coast wilderness and Tasmania Police offers sincere condolences to the family, friends and the defence force colleagues of the Indian soldier."

Rana's body would be flown to India next week.

The Australian army is also investigating into the incident.

Franklin river has many grade five and six rapids, which pose a challenge to rafters.

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Natasha Chaku in Melbourne
Source: PTI© Copyright 2024 PTI. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of PTI content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent.
 
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