IDF soldier critically injured by comrade's misfire
Soldier accidentally shoots his friend in neck while cleaning rifle at northern Israel base; IDF launches investigation into incident
The IDF appointed a senior officer to investigate the incident. Soldiers who were present at the scene of the accident said that the soldier who fired the shot was not playing with his weapon.
A military source noted that it was too early to reach any conclusions on the incident. He added that the IDF took severe measures against soldiers who used their weapons as a game and that the number of such incidents had recently been reduced.
The injured soldier was evacuated to the Rambam Medical Center by a Magen David Adom helicopter. The hospital reported that his condition remained critical.
Dr. Eran Tal'or, a senior physician at the hospital's trauma unit, said that the soldier was injured in the neck and head and lost a large amount of blood.
He underwent a CT scan and after his condition was stabilized at the trauma room he went into surgery. At the end of the operation, which lasted about four hours, he was transferred to the intensive care unit.
On Monday night, a reserve officer ranked captain was moderately wounded during a training accident at the Tzeelim army base in southern Israel.
The captain, an Engineering Corps officer, was injured after explosives blew up in the course of a drill. He was evacuated to Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba.
An investigating officer was appointed to examine the accident.
Ahiya Raved contributed to this report
