KUALA LUMPUR: A grenade that killed two army personnel during a training exercise at Kem Hobart in Gurun, Kedah, last month is believed to have activated before it could be thrown, according to a Defence Ministry investigation.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the ministry received and reviewed the investigation findings into the June 16 incident, which claimed the lives of the two soldiers.
He said the army convened a Board of Inquiry on June 17, a day after the incident, with the investigation undergoing several levels of review to examine technical aspects, compliance with standard operating procedures and witness statements before the final report was submitted to the ministry.
"According to the findings, grenade-throwing training is conducted in stages under the supervision of an instructor, with trainees required to maintain a firm grip on the grenade, particularly on the safety lever, until it is thrown towards the target.
"The grenade is fitted with several safety mechanisms, namely a safety clip, safety pin and safety lever. Once the safety lever is released, the grenade is activated and detonates after about five seconds," he said in a statement on Friday (July 24).
Based on the location of the explosion, evidence at the scene and analysis of injuries sustained, investigators believe the safety lever was accidentally released before the grenade was thrown, Mohamed Khaled said.
The investigation found that the trainee suffered severe injuries to the head and right hand, while the instructor sustained serious injuries to the head and body.
"The pattern of injuries was consistent with findings that the grenade had activated before it could be thrown and exploded while it was still near the upper bodies of both personnel.
"However, investigators were unable to determine exactly when the safety lever became disengaged, as there were no direct eyewitnesses to the moment the incident occurred," he added.
Following the findings, the Defence Ministry and the armed forces will strengthen safety procedures, grenade-handling protocols, supervision and training practices to reduce the risk of similar incidents in future, he said.
"The safety of every military personnel remains our utmost priority. There will be no compromise in ensuring that all training is conducted with the highest standards of compliance, supervision and safety," Mohamed Khaled said.
