Coroner declares open verdict on navy cadet's death

 

The Coroner's Court has declared an open verdict regarding the inquest into the cause of death of navy cadet officer J Soosaimanicckam.

Coroner Ainul Shahrin Mohamad ruled today that his cause of death was pulmonary oedema (fluid in the lungs).

The navy cadet officer died during his training at KD Sultan Idris, Lumut naval base on May 19, 2018.

Ainul said the deceased reportedly defecated while taking a shower before losing consciousness and was rushed to Lumut Military Hospital (HAT) where he was subsequently pronounced dead.

The decision was made in the presence of the deceased's family including his father S Joseph, 70, his brother Charles, 37, his cousin Vincent Lourders, 56, and the family's lawyers Zaid Malek and Mahajoth Singh.

Outside the court, Zaid said they would appeal to the Ipoh High Court after consulting the family members.

The lawyer said there was a lot of evidence and unanswered questions, including what caused the pulmonary oedema.

“The deceased entered the navy training as a healthy person, passed the health test, and was eligible to undergo the training, but one week after the training, he died.

“He was also not allowed to be treated early. Had he been treated early, he could have been saved,” Zaid added.

Unqualified witness claim

Soosaimanicckam’s father claimed that the head of the forensic medicine department of Seri Manjung Hospital, Dr S Saravanan, who conducted the post-mortem and appeared as a witness at the inquest, was not an expert and not qualified to determine the cause of death.

On May 19, 2018, the 27-year-old’s death was confirmed at Lumut Army Hospital.

The following day (May 20), the navy in a statement said the graduate cadet officer suffered chest pain and shortness of breath at his hostel after undergoing his daily training and was sent to the hospital for treatment.

The doctor on duty was said to have given respiratory support and treatment to the victim. However, he was pronounced dead at 1.45pm.

Soosaimanicckam reported to the naval base to undergo officer qualification training on May 12, 2018.

The then Manjung District police chief Muhammad Hanif Othman said that the forensic medical report had ruled out foul play and that Soosaimanicckam died of fluid in the lungs.

The case was classified as sudden death.

- Bernama