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Tanks at Golan drill
Photo: Avihu Shapira

Reserve soldier killed in training accident

APC flips over during military drill in Golan Heights; one dead, five injured. Army launches investigation into incident

A reserve soldier was killed and five others were lightly to moderately injured in a training accident Monday morning when the IDF armored personnel carrier (APC) they were traveling in flipped over.

 

The dead soldier was identified as First Sergeant Assaf Waxman, 28, of Rishon Lezion.

 

Firefighters and paramedics from Katzrin were called to the scene in order to administer first-aid and extricate a soldier trapped in the overturned APC.

 

The soldiers were taken to Poriya Medical Center in Tiberias to receive medical attention. Following multiple attempts to resuscitate one of the soldiers, the medical staff had no choice but to proclaim him dead.

 

Eli Peretz, the Magen David Adom (MDA) director for the Jordan Rift Valley, told Ynet, "At around 6:30 am, we received a call about an APC that had overturned with people trapped inside on the IDF training grounds in the area of the Beit Tzeida junction. MDA ambulances and a helicopter rushed to the scene."


APC involved in accident (Photo: Avihu Shapira) 

 

The circumstances of the accident are under investigation by the IDF's northern command.

 

In the last year, since the end of the Second Lebanon War, the IDF has increased the amount of training maneuvers conducted in the Golan Heights. The intensive exercises have exacerbated tensions with the Syrians who consider the drills provocation.

 

Less than a week ago, Yariv Amitai, a soldier from the Golani brigade, was killed in an accident while in the line of duty near the border with the Gaza Strip.

 

Amitai was seriously injured when the Hummer he was traveling in flipped over during a routine patrol along the border fence. He succumbed to his injuries shortly afterwards.

 

Hanan Greenberg contributed to this report

 


פרסום ראשון: 11.12.07, 11:47
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