SONAMARG, India — A horrific accident on Friday morning, May 29, 2026, turned the treacherous Srinagar-Kargil Highway into a scene of devastation when a cargo truck veered off the road and plunged into a deep gorge at the volatile Zojila Pass. The vehicle fell from a considerable height, prompting an immediate and highly complex rescue operation by emergency teams, local authorities, and Indian Army personnel.

The Zojila Pass, situated at an altitude of over 11,500 feet, is notorious for its extremely narrow tracks, sharp bends, and sheer vertical drops, making it one of the most dangerous motorable stretches in the world.

The incident occurred during the early hours of Friday when the heavy commercial truck, loaded with essential supplies, was navigating the treacherous terrain en route from Srinagar toward Kargil.

According to preliminary reports from local traffic police, the driver lost control of the vehicle near one of the most vulnerable and landslide-prone bends of the pass. The truck smashed through the flimsy roadside barrier and careened off the cliffside, plummeting hundreds of feet into the rocky, snow-dusted ravine below.

The impact of the fall completely crushed the vehicle's cabin, scattering debris and cargo across the steep slopes of the mountain.

The sound of the crash alerted nearby border road workers and passing motorists, who immediately notified the emergency services. Due to the extreme depth of the gorge and the precarious, near-vertical terrain, reaching the wreckage proved to be an immense challenge.

A joint rescue team—comprising the Jammu & Kashmir Police, the Army’s high-altitude rescue units, and local volunteers—rushed to the site. Ropes and specialized climbing gear had to be deployed to lower medical personnel and first responders into the ravine.

"The drop is incredibly steep, and the loose rocks made the descent highly dangerous for our team," a rescue official at the scene stated. "The vehicle is severely mangled, and our priority is extracting the occupants from the wreckage as safely and quickly as possible."

By afternoon, emergency crews were still working under grueling weather conditions to clear the wreckage and determine the exact number of casualties.

The Zojila Pass serves as a vital strategic lifeline connecting the Kashmir Valley with the remote Ladakh region. However, it is frequently closed for months during winters due to heavy snowfall and remains a persistent hazard even in clearer weather due to lack of extensive concrete retaining walls and unpredictable mudslides.

The latest accident has once again renewed demands from transport unions and regular commuters for stricter safety protocols, automated speed monitoring, and the expedited completion of the ongoing Zojila Tunnel project, which aims to provide a safer, all-weather alternative to the hazardous pass.

Traffic along the Srinagar-Kargil Highway was temporarily halted to allow unobstructed access for emergency vehicles, causing long queues of commercial and military convoys on both sides of the pass. Authorities have advised motorists to exercise extreme caution and strictly adhere to speed limits while traversing the area.