New Delhi, Feb 8 (PTI) Condoling the death of Army personnel in an avalanche in Arunachal Pradesh, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said "we salute the martyrs".

The bodies of seven Army personnel were found on Tuesday in a high-altitude region in the West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, two days since they went missing after their patrol in the border area was struck by an avalanche, officials said.

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The Army had launched a search and rescue operation on Sunday after the soldiers went missing.

"Saddened to know of the death of Army personnel in avalanche tragedy in Arunachal Pradesh. My deepest condolences to their family and friends. We salute the martyrs," Gandhi tweeted.

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Officials said the avalanche site located at an altitude of 14,500 feet had been witnessing inclement weather with heavy snowfall in the last few days.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)