May 12, 2007
Two Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) soldiers were killed in Taiwan on Friday after a Taiwanese fighter jet plunged into a storeroom in an army camp.
The crash, which also claimed the lives of the F-5F Tiger jet's two Taiwanese pilots, caused a fire in the storeroom and injured nine other Singaporean soldiers on the ground, including full-time National Servicemen. Two of the injured Singaporeans, who like the others were in Taiwan in support of the SAF's unilateral training programme, were hospitalised for serious burns.
The two Singaporean servicemen who died have been identified as corporal Isz Sazli Sapari, 19, and private Fan Yao Jin, 23. Their next of kin have been informed, said Singapore's Ministry of Defence (Mindef).
The Taiwanese Defence Ministry has grounded all F-5F jets pending the outcome of an investigation.
The accident happened at 9.25am at the camp in Hukou, Hsinchu Count, 50km south of Taipei, during an exercise.
The jet had taken off 30 minutes earlier from an airbase in Taidong, about 200km away.
A Taiwanese Defence Ministry spokesman told Today that the jet was diving in a mock attack on ground troops when it crashed into a storeroom in the camp, home to the Taiwanese 542nd Armour Brigade.
The jet, which was practising the drill for a five-day ''Han Guang 23'' live firing exercise next week, failed to gain enough speed to pull up, and crashed.
About the injured Singaporeans, Mindef said: ''Two SAF servicemen are injured and are being treated in hospital. Seven others have minor injuries …
''The rest of the SAF personnel in Taiwan are safe and accounted for.''
A team of five SAF doctors left for Taiwan on Friday afternoon. They will be working with the Taiwanese medical authorities to stabilise the two SAF servicemen warded in the intensive care units, said Mindef.
According to Channel NewsAsia, the two injured Singapore soldiers are believed to be ''seriously injured with about 50 to 60 per cent burn injuries on their bodies''.
Mindef said: ''Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean expressed his deep concern for the affected servicemen and their families, and said that Mindef and the SAF will do all they can to look after their well-being.
''He has also been in touch with the Taiwanese authorities, who assured us that they will do their best to provide the necessary assistance to our personnel.'
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