Five Chilean soldiers were frozen to death and 95 others were missing in a fierce snowstorm in Andean region, an army commander said Thursday. (Photo: Xinhua/AFP)

(Photo: Xinhua/AFP)

(Photo: Xinhua/AFP)

    SANTIAGO, May 19 (Xinhuanet) -- Five Chilean soldiers were frozen to death and 95 others were missing in a fierce snowstorm in Andean region, an army commander said Thursday.

    A total of 433 troops, including officers, non-commissioned officers and recruits, were carrying out drills in Los Barros in the Andean zone of the Eighth Region when the storm hit, Commander-in-Chief of the Army Juan Emilio Cheyre said.

    An army rescue patrol, consisting of General Alfredo Ewing and three colonels who have experience in mountain operations, has been sent to search. But their operation was hampered and communication was interrupted by persistent bad weather, he said.

    The dead soldiers have not been identified yet, he said.

    "We know nothing from them. What we know is the size of the unit, when caught in an avalanche," Cheyre said. Enditem