KUALA LUMPUR: A grenade that killed two Army personnel during a live training exercise at Hobart Camp in Kedah last month is believed to have been accidentally activated before it could be thrown, a military investigation has found.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin (pic) said the ministry had received and reviewed the findings of the investigation into the June 16 incident, which claimed the lives of the trainee and instructor.
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 covering 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.
Based on the location of the explosion, evidence collected at the scene and an analysis of the 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 activated before it could be thrown and exploded while it was still close to 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, Mohamed Khaled said the Defence Ministry and the Armed Forces would strengthen safety procedures, grenade-handling protocols, supervision and training practices to minimise the risk of similar incidents.
