Grenade activated before throw in fatal army training blast, probe finds

Defence minister Khaled Nordin stressed that the highest standards of compliance, supervision and safety must always be maintained during military training. (Bernama pic)PETALING JAYA: A grenade that killed two soldiers during a training exercise in Kedah last month was activated before it could be thrown because its safety lever was believed to have been released prematurely, defence minister Khaled Nordin said.Khaled said the grenade was fitted with three safety mechanisms - a safety clip, a safety pin, and a safety lever - and would detonate about five seconds after the safety lever was released.In a statement, he said the grenade-throwing exercise was conducted in stages under the instructor’s supervision, requiring the thrower to maintain a firm grip on the grenade’s safety lever until it was thrown towards the target.He said investigators concluded that the grenade detonated while still near the thrower and instructor, based on the explosion's location, evidence collected at the scene, and an analysis of the injuries sustained by the two victims.The thrower suffered severe injuries to the head and right hand, while the instructor sustained serious injuries to the head, torso and left side of the body.“The pattern of injuries was consistent with the finding that the grenade had been activated before it could be thrown and exploded while it was still near the upper bodies of both personnel.“However, as there were no witnesses who saw the incident, the investigators were unable to determine exactly when the safety lever was released,” he said.Corporal Norazmi Abu Bakar and private Siti Khadijah Sungip suffered serious injuries after a grenade exploded during a training exercise at Hobart Camp in Gurun, Kedah, on June 16.Both were taken to Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital in Sungai Petani for treatment but were pronounced dead on arrival.Khaled said the army initiated a board of inquiry immediately after the incident, with the probe’s findings scrutinised by several levels of command before the final report was submitted to his ministry.He said the defence ministry and the army would strengthen safety procedures, grenade-handling protocols, supervision, and training exercises to reduce the risk of similar incidents.He also stressed that the highest standards of compliance, supervision and safety must always be maintained during military training.