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July 14, 2005
Wednesday
Deaths of SAF Regular Serviceman and
Foreign Serviceman
1SG Shiva s/o
Mohan from the SAF Commando, and a foreign serviceman were undergoing the
Rappelling Instructor Course when they fell while rappelling from the
helicopter. The incident happened at 9.11 pm on Wednesday. The helicopter
was hovering about 20 metres above ground. No other serviceman was injured.
The two servicemen were evacuated to the Sembawang Air Base medical centre
at 9.23 pm. The doctors stabilised both servicemen in preparation for
evacuation to the Singapore General Hospital. The medical evacuation
helicopter departed the air base at 10.27 pm and reached the hospital in 7
minutes. The two servicemen were pronounced dead at about 11 pm.
Heli-rappelling training has been suspended, pending the conclusion of the
investigation. All other training activities proceed as normal. The SAF is
conducting a 2-day safety review of its processes and procedures.
MINDEF and the SAF extend their deepest condolences to the family of the
late 1SG Shiva and will be assisting the family in their time of loss.
MINDEF is conducting an investigation. - Mindef
July 09, 2005 Saturday
Army commando injured in
free fall parachute jump during NDP rehearsal
SINGAPORE : An Army commando was seriously
injured when he lost control of his parachute during the free fall
performance at the National Day Parade rehearsal on Saturday.
According to the Defence Ministry, 36-year-old Master Sergeant Chua Koon San
had a hard landing during the rehearsal at the Padang at 6.15pm.
He was immediately evacuated to the Singapore General Hospital.
Mindef says his condition is stable.
According to Channel NewsAsia's video footage, prior to his landing, Master
Sergeant Chua appeared to have drifted from his intended course.
He then landed between the stage and the spectator stands at the corner of
the Padang nearest the Esplanade.
Master Sergeant Chua, a veteran of some 800 freefall jumps, is now in the
intensive care unit at SGH.
He is understood to have sustained injuries from the waist down, but is said
to be recovering.
An eyewitness at the Padang described what she saw.
Chitra Veerapathiran, Teacher, Woodlands Ring Primary School, said: "This
person was right above us. He came down all the way really fast and crashed
onto the ground. He didn't move...we were very stunned at first, we were
very worried and we didn't know what happened to him. As soon as he landed,
all the medical officers came.They were huddled around him for a while and
took him away on a stretcher after that." - CNA
June 29, 2005
Wednesday
NSman dies
after collapsing during jog in Pulau Tekong
SINGAPORE : A 19-year-old full-time
National Serviceman died in hospital on Wednesday after collapsing during an
informal jog in Pulau Tekong.
Sergeant Ong Peng Ghee, a section instructor, was jogging around the Basic
Military Training Centre on the island with a few colleagues when he
collapsed at 8.45am.
The Defence Ministry said he was given immediate medical attention and
evacuated by helicopter to the Singapore General Hospital at about 9.30am.
But he died an hour later.
Ong is the third armed forces personnel to die at an army camp in the last
two weeks.
On 15 June, 24-year-old Singapore Armed Forces regular serviceman Ong Jia
Hui went missing during training in the waters of Changi Naval Base.
He was found, given immediate medical attention but later died in hospital.
A week later, another regular serviceman - Second Warrant Officer Teh Kok
Lian - collapsed and died during a routine run at Jurong Camp. He was 39
years old. - CNA
June 22, 2005
Wednesday
SAF regular serviceman collapses and dies during routine run
A Singapore Armed Forces regular serviceman died after
collapsing during a routine run at Jurong Camp on Wednesday morning.
Second Warrant Officer Teh Kok Lian, 39, was given immediate medical
attention after he collapsed and was evacuated to National University
Hospital in 15 minutes.
He died less than an hour later.
MINDEF and the SAF extend their deepest condolences to his family and will
be assisting them.
MINDEF is investigating the incident.
This is the second death of an SAF regular in a week.
Second Sergeant (2SG) Ong Jia Hui drowned during training in the waters off
Changi Naval Base last Wednesday.
June 16, 2005 Thursday
SAF regular drowns during special
operations training
SINGAPORE : A 24-year-old Army
specialist drowned while undergoing special operations training for maritime
counter terrorism in the waters of Changi Naval Base.
Second Sergeant Ong Jia Hui was discovered missing around 5.40pm on
Wednesday.
A safety diver, on standby as part of safety precautions, was immediately
activated.
The diver found Ong in about five minutes. Ong was given medical treatment
at the medical centre before being taken to Changi General Hospital within
half an hour of the incident.
He was pronounced dead at around 7pm.
"I would like to extend our condolences to the family of Sergeant Ong. The
army is doing what it can to assist the family. They have done the initial
investigation and safety procedures and training regulations all seem to
have been followed. We will have to look into the reason of the cause of
death; the investigation is proceeding," said Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean.
- CNA
June 15, 2005
Wednesday
SAF regular
dies during training exercise at Changi Naval Base
SINGAPORE : A 24-year-old SAF regular serviceman died during a training exercise on Wednesday.
Mindef says Second Sergeant (2SG) Ong Jia Hui was discovered missing during
training in the waters of Changi Naval Base.
An immediate search was conducted and he was recovered.
He was given immediate medical attention before being evacuated to Changi
General Hospital where he died at about 7pm.
Mindef says it is investigating the incident. - CNA
October 13, 2004
Wednesday
10 NSmen hurt after
5-tonne truck lands on its side
SINGAPORE : Ten soldiers were injured in a
training accident on Pulau Telong on Wednesday morning when the five-tonne
truck they were in landed on its side.
Two soldiers, a National Serviceman and a regular, were evacuated by
helicopter to Singapore General Hospital with fractures and facial injuries.
The other eight, who suffered minor abrasions, were given outpatient
treatment on the island.
It is believed the truck hit a tree as it was transporting stores.
The two soldiers arrived at SGH at about 8.40 am, just over an hour after
the accident occurred on Pulau Tekong at 7.20 am.
One of them, Goh Ling Pin, was transferred to intensive care in the
Neuroscience Unit.
The other soldier, Huang Zong Wei, was in a High Dependency Unit.
Channel NewsAsia understands he suffered from injuries to his face and
hands, with stitches to his lips; his neck is in a brace.
Concerned family members gathered at the Singapore General Hospital after
hearing about the accident.
Parents of 20-year-old Huang say he is the youngest of three children and
has been in the army for over a year.
They say he was attached to Lim Chu Kang Camp but had gone to Pulau Tekong
for some training.
Mindef says both the men are in a stable condition, and it is conducting an
investigation into the incident. - CNA
May 21, 2004 Friday
Pilot in
RSAF jet crash dead
SINGAPORE - The pilot of a Singapore Air
Force F-16 fighter jet that went down in the US state of Arizona during a
training flight died in the crash, the
Ministry of Defence
said on Friday.
In a brief statement, the Ministry said Lieutenant Loo Kwang Han, 25, 'did
not survive' the crash late on Wednesday, an hour after taking off from
Luke Air Force
Base.
Lt Loo's plane went down south of the Barry M. Goldwater Range, not far from
the US-Mexico border. He obtained his pilot's wings in 2001 and became an
F-16 pilot in January last year, it said.
Luke is the world's largest F-16 training base. Singaporean military
aircraft fly out of Luke under a joint training arrangement between the two
countries.
In Arizona, the flags at Luke were lowered to half-staff in honour of the
pilot.
Luke commander Brigadier-General Phil Breedlove said: 'We have lost a
comrade and a friend. Our two nations have lost a warrior.'
He would not say whether Lt Loo tried to eject from the jet. The cause of
the crash was under investigation.
Major John Paradis, a Luke spokesman said that training operations were
suspended on Thursday local time as a safety precaution.
The F-16C aircraft was assigned to the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force
Base as part of a Singapore Air Force detachment which started in 1993, the
Ministry said.
In May 2002, a Singapore Air Force F-16 flown by a US pilot crashed in a
training area south of Luke. The pilot ejected safely from that aircraft. --
AP
February 25, 2004
Tuesday
Four SAF servicemen injured in
machine gun explosion
SINGAPORE: Four SAF
servicemen were injured in a training incident at the Armour Training Centre
on Tuesday.
Mindef says the three full-time NSmen and a regular were trying to rectify a
jammed 0.5 inch calibre machine gun when an explosion occurred in its
chamber. They were sent to the National University Hospital for treatment,
where one of them was warded for shrapnel injuries to his face and eyes.
Mindef says he is in a stable condition. The others were given outpatient
treatment for minor injuries. The SAF is conducting an investigation to
determine the cause of the incident. - CNA
January 13, 2004 Tuesday
Motorcyclist killed in PIE accident
after colliding with a SAF military truck.
SINGAPORE : A man died on the spot after his motorcycle collided with a
military truck along the Pan Island Expressway on Tuesday. The accident
happened along the PIE towards Jurong, near the Eunos flyover.
The collision
resulted in a traffic congestion.
Police are investigating the accident. - CNA
OCT 18, 2003 Saturday
'This is a stain on SAF'
 IT was a solemn day for
Rear Admiral (NS) Teo Chee Hean (left) yesterday. He was giving his first
ministerial statement to Parliament as Minister for Defence and the news was
grim.
Three young Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) servicemen had
died during training in unrelated incidents.
Two of them collapsed after they took part in runs to
determine their fitness.
But it was the third case - the death of a sniper
Guardsman, who was training with SAF's elite Commando unit - which sent
shockwaves through the military establishment.
The reason: Second Sergent (2SG) Hu Enhuai died because
he had been put through an 'unauthorised' training exercise by his
instructors.
What happened to 2SG Hu on the Combat Survival Training
course should never have happened, RAdm Teo said, because the commando unit
was legendary for its strict regime and professionalism.
So what could have gone wrong? Why didn't anyone detect
and stop the training?
LOOK INTO MATTER HIMSELF
RAdm Teo, a former chief of the Navy, will look into the
matter himself.
'I will get to the bottom of how such an unauthorised and
unsafe training practice could have crept into the School of Commando
Training,' he said.
Throughout the entire hour when he delivered his
statement and fielded numerous questions from MPs, he wore a serious but
weary expression on his face.
He had a long day.
Earlier in the morning, he had summoned more than 400
unit commanders and senior commanders in the SAF to 'impress upon them the
seriousness of this incident, and to reinforce the importance of looking
after their men'.
He said: 'I have told them that this incident is a stain
on the reputation of the SAF, and that they have to erase that stain by
their actions.'
He stressed his priorities: Complete the inquiries and
investigations. Find out who is responsible for the unauthorised acts and
allowing them to take place.
'The investigations by Mindef and the police will be
thorough and complete, and where there have been shortcomings, failures or
wrongdoings, those responsible will be held to account and face the full
force of the law,' he said gravely.
He made it clear that he would not tolerate soldiers
committing wrong-doing or being negligent in their duties.
If left unchecked, such actions would make a mockery of
even the best systems of the SAF. As a warning, heads have already begun to
roll.
The Commanding Officer of the School of Commando Training
was relieved from his post.
Two instructors, who were responsible for supervising the
training, were relieved from their duties.
And the five instructors who conducted the training have
been suspended.
RAdm Teo offered his condolences to the family of 2SG
Hu but acknowledged that no words could soften the blow of the tragic death.
But he promised that the commandos and the SAF would
'learn from this and tighten up so that this does not ever happen again'.
He added: 'Parents entrust their sons to Mindef and the
SAF to prepare and train them to perform a national duty in the defence of
Singapore.
'It is Mindef and the SAF's solemn commitment to take in
our young men, train them well and return them safely at the end of two or 2
1/2 years to their families as operationally-ready soldiers.'
MPS: MORE CHECKS & TRANSPARENCY?
VARIOUS MPs yesterday raised concerns and gave
suggestions on how to prevent such deaths from happening again.
Dr Amy Khor: Parents who have sons going to NS
soon would want to know whether there is an effective system of reporting
for possible breaches in, say, training exercises that may endanger the
lives of the NSmen.
Reply: Mindef will ask the army to have a look to
see how they can develop a more open system of reporting potential safety
breaches. This will allow NSmen to report not just actual safety breaches,
but potential safety breaches, so that violation of safety regulations
resulting in an accident can be avoided.
Ms Lim Hwee Hua: As a preventive measure, could an
audit body comprising ex- or non-SAF personnel be set up to audit training
programmes to ensure that only authorised methods are allowed and that
safety standards are adhered to.
Reply: Mindef will look into the suggestions
raised on whether it can strengthen its audit this way.
Mr Ang Mong Seng: Would the SAF consider issuing
special equipment which allows NSmen to sound for help if he is in trouble
or suffers a health-related problem.
Reply: Mindef can consider such a technical
solution. At the moment, SAF adopts a 'manual solution' in the form of a
buddy system where two soldiers watch out for each other.
Mr Sin Boon Ann: Could the death of 2SG Hu have
been avoided if SAF had an independent officer accompanying a training
troop, so that the officer could check against abuses and lapses.
Reply: The SAF will consider this proposal. But
officers who are charged with the responsibility must carry out their duties
properly. That is the key to making sure that the system works.
Dr Ong Chit Chung: Could members of the public be
represented on the committees of inquiry for better transparency.
Reply: Now, members of the public such as civil
servants who are outside of Mindef chair committees of inquiry. Civilian
doctors sometimes also sit on the committee. But Mindef will look into the
suggestion.
OCT 18, 2003 Saturday
As news unfolds, family grieves
By Faith Teo
 IT
has been almost two months since 2SG Hu Enhuai died, but his family's grief
is as deep as ever.
The pain was renewed afresh yesterday as news unfolded
about how 2SG Hu's death was caused by the use of unauthorised and unsafe
training practices by some of his instructors.
His parents and two younger siblings remain inconsolable.
As I approached their Hougang home last night, to speak
to the family, it suddenly occurred to me that at 19, 2SG Hu was the same
age as the students I had taught as a secondary school teacher.
Like many of my students, he was a diligent boy who did
well in his studies. First at Chinese High, then at Hwa Chong Junior
College. A teacher's pride and joy.
He could have been one of my boys.
HEARD SOBBING FROM OUTSIDE
Even before I knocked on the door of the Hu family's
home, I could hear the sobbing. The Mandarin news was on TV, and I wondered
if the Defence Ministry's disclosures had already been reported.
Enhuai's father answered the door.
His eyes were red from crying, and so were the eyes
of a young boy with him, Enhuai's brother.
I heard gut-wrenching sobs as Mr Hu opened the door to
a darkened bedroom.
Later, Mrs Hu came out.
The family said there was no point in talking about
Enhuai anymore, but they also revealed to me a little of what he had been
like.
In Mandarin, Mrs Hu said: 'Enhuai was such a good boy, he
worked hard to get into good schools.
'He was obedient, see all the trophies he won at sports?'
She walked over to a cabinet and pointed at the rows of
medals he had won.
As she showed me a framed picture of him, she broke down
again. Enhuai was in his ceremonial army uniform, standing proudly next to
the national flag.
Then she told me that Enhuai had been looking forward to
starting his course in chemistry at the National University of Singapore.
I asked what his ambition had been and Mr Hu, who had
been silent for the most part, said in an anguished voice. 'Why talk
about all this? He is no more, there is no point.'
He looked away as more tears fell.
I asked whether the authorities had sent anyone to tell
them personally of the continuing investigation.
Sobbed Mrs Hu: 'I don't care what they do or say, or who
is responsible for the death of my son. My son is dead.'
He had been on a 10-day combat survival course which
trains commandos to evade capture and to escape.
The course has been suspended for safety procedures to be
reviewed.
HOW HE DIED
HE was just a day away from completing the course when he
died.
On Aug 21, Second Sergeant (2SG) Hu Enhuai, a sniper, was
undergoing Combat Survival Training (CST) at Pulau Tekong.
It trains reconnaissance troopers, scouts and snipers to
conduct operations deep in hostile territory, survive, evade capture, and
resist and escape if captured.
It ends in a summary field exercise where they are
tested.
This was the 80th CST course and it began on Aug 13 and
was to have ended on Aug 22.
HEAD SUBMERGED 4 TIMES
Investigations showed 2SG Hu's head had been held in a
tub of water four times.
He inhaled some water, had breathing difficulties and
collapsed around 4.45pm. He was treated at the scene and evacuated to the
Singapore General Hospital, but died.
Other trainees also had their heads submerged in water
and six required medical treatment.
Rear-Admiral (NS) Teo Chee Hean told Parliament yesterday
the training had been conducted in an 'unauthorised way' as the trainees
were to be only doused with water.
He added that the lesson plan 'specifically prohibits
physical contact and manhandling of trainees, and states categorically that
instructors should never force water treatment into the body.'
He said: 'Submerging the head of a trainee into water was
not authorised.'
The cause of death as certified by the forensic
pathologist of the Health Sciences Authority was asphyxia and near drowning.
OTHER UNCONNECTED DEATHS
TWO other servicemen died recently in separate incidents.
Recruit Andrew Chew Heng Huat was moderately obese and in
the fourth week of a four-month Basic Military Training Programme.
On Sep 23 at the Basic Military Training Centre School 1
on Pulau Tekong, he was undergoing an Individual Physical Proficiency Test
to gauge his fitness level.
At about 5.45pm, he collapsed 30m from the end of a 2.4km
run, and was declared dead at 7.05pm.
On Sep 3, 2SG Rajagopal Thirukumaran, a regular
serviceman, was taking the Ranger Course selection test at Hendon Camp. This
is to ensure that candidates for the Ranger course meet the physical fitness
standards required for the course.
He collapsed at 4.30pm after completing the 5km road run
and was pronounced dead at 5.25pm.
A forensic pathologist from the Health Sciences Authority
is investigating both deaths.
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SINGAPORE (AFP) Apr 04, 2003
Court finds Singapore navy officer responsible for deadly collision.
 A naval officer was responsible for a collision three
months ago between a Singapore patrol vessel and a container ship that left
four servicewomen dead, an official investigation said Friday.
Lieutenant Ng Keng Yong made "errors of judgement" that led the
anti-submarine patrol vessel RSS Courageous into the path of the Dutch-owned
ANL Indonesia on January 3, investigators from the Maritime and Port
Authority of Singapore (MPA) said.
A trainee officer of the watch, Lieutenant Chua Chue Teng, was in control of
the vessel at the time of the collision but was under the direct supervision
of Ng, who approved the trainee's instructions to change course.
As the two vessels headed towards each other in the eastern Singapore
Straits near Pedra Branca island, the trainee ordered the 452-tonne RSS
Courageous to change course to port, or the left side.
Ng, the officer of the watch, approved the change despite knowing that the
move was against maritime collision regulations, investigators said.
Such regulations state that when two vessels are heading towards a possible
smash, each shall change course to starboard, or right side, so that they
would pass each other on the left side.
The 51,938-tonne ANL Indonesia took the correct action by moving starboard,
the investigators said.
"The collision ... was caused by errors of judgement in assessing the
situation and the wrongful application of the Collision Regulations on the
part of the RSS Courageous," said MPA senior director Lee Seng Kong at a
news conference.
Although the trainee officer was in control of the ship, she was under the
direct supervision of Lieutenant Ng. As such, Ng "was fully responsible for
the safe navigation" of the navy ship, investigators said in their report.
"By not intervening, the officer of the watch had shown that he was either
not fully aware of the situation around him or had wrongly agreed with the
actions and instructions given by the trainee," Lee said.
Only the bodies of three servicewomen killed in the collision were
recovered. The fourth servicewoman was never found, and is presumed dead.
Defence Minister Tony Tan said the findings by the MPA were consistent with
those of the Singapore Armed Forces' higher board of inquiry.
He said the Ministry of Defence agreed with the MPA's conclusion that there
were "errors of judgement" by Ng, but no lawsuits have been filed.
The findings of the MPA and the higher board of inquiry will be sent to the
state coroner for further action, he said.
"We will have to wait for the next stage, which is the coroner's inquiry,
which will assess who is to blame. Until we know culpability, it will be
premature to take action at this time," Tan told a news conference.
Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral Ronnie Yap, said the trainee was undergoing
training in shiphandling as part of the navy's programme to give its
officers practical experience.
The navy has described the incident as the worst in its history.
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