Expedite probe into grenade training deaths, says Khaled

 The defence minister says the army has suspended all training involving grenades until the investigation is completed.

Defence minister Khaled Nordin said lessons learned from the investigation into the deaths of two soldiers during a grenade-throwing training exercise should be used to improve the army’s safety procedures. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

Defence minister Khaled Nordin wants the probe into the deaths of two soldiers during a grenade-throwing training exercise recently to be expedited.

He said the authorities must expedite the probe to determine the cause of the incident at the Hobart Camp in Gurun, Kedah, last Tuesday.

Khaled added that the lessons learned from the investigation should be used to improve safety procedures, Buletin TV3 reported.

“Grenades are required to be thrown within seven seconds after the pin is pulled.

“I don’t want to make assumptions. We need to investigate what went wrong.

“I hope (the investigation) can be expedited,” he said at an event in Kota Tinggi.

He said the army has suspended all training involving grenades until the investigation is completed.

A corporal, Norazmi Abu Bakar, and a private, Siti Khadijah Sungip, suffered serious injuries after a grenade exploded during the exercise at 10.57am.

They were taken to Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital in Sungai Petani for treatment, but were confirmed dead on arrival. - FMT