12 SAF servicemen being treated or recovering after getting injured during Exercise Wallaby in Australia
UPDATE (25 Sept): The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) shared in a follow-up post on Wednesday (25 Sept) that all 12 servicemen have rejoined their unit after receiving medical care.
SAF also said that training has resumed, with an emphasis on the need to maintain a safety distance, especially in the case of poor visibility.
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12 servicemen from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) have been injured while taking part in an exercise in Australia.
This was revealed by the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) in a news release on Tuesday (24 Sept) night.
Accident occurred when one vehicle rear-ended another
The accident occurred at about 7.40pm Australian time, MINDEF said.
It involved two Hunter Armoured Fighting Vehicles, with one rear-ending another.
Source: Ministry of Defence, Singapore (MINDEF) on Facebook
The vehicles were moving back to their base in Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA), located in the state of Queensland.
12 SAF servicemen injured in Australia sent to hospital
The 12 SAF servicemen sustained non-serious injuries, MINDEF said.
They were transported to the hospital, and are now being treated or recovering well.
MINDEF and SAF wished them a speedy recovery.
Army calls for safety pause
In light of the accident, the Army has called for a safety pause.
This is to remind drivers to maintain proper distance, MINDEF said, adding:
The safety and well-being of our people is of paramount importance.
Exercise Wallaby ongoing from 8 Sept to 3 Nov
The SAF is currently conducting Exercise Wallaby from 8 Sept to 3 Nov at SWBTA, according to a fact sheet from MINDEF.
Source: Ministry of Defence, Singapore (MINDEF) on Facebook
The SAF’s largest overseas unilateral exercise, this year’s Exercise Wallaby marks its 34th anniversary since it started in 1990.
It involves about 6,200 personnel and approximately 490 platforms from the Singapore Army, the Republic of Singapore Air Force and the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS).
The exercise has also been extended to nine weeks, from six weeks previously, so it “will set a new training baseline overseas”, MINDEF said.
As the SWBTA is approximately four times the size of Singapore, the exercise is valuable for allowing the SAF to exercise its full range of capabilities and cross-service integrated training.
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Featured image adapted from Ministry of Defence, Singapore (MINDEF) on Facebook.
