6 NSFs, 1 NSman & 2 regulars have died in past 16 months as of Jan. 2019

Rest in peace.

Belmont Lay | January 24, 2019, 02:03 AM

A total of nine Singaporeans have passed away in the past 16 months while serving the country between September 2017 and January 2019.

These nine deaths were publicly reported in the media.

Six of the deaths involved full-time national servicemen (NSFs), two involved regular servicemen, while the most recent case involved local actor Aloysius Pang, who was an NSman when he was killed during reservist training.

The deaths can be classified as: Four training accidents, one non-training accident, three suicides and one case of ragging in the Singapore Civil Defence Force.

1. Jan. 23, 2019

Training accident

Corporal First Class Aloysius Pang, died from injuries sustained during a reservist training accident in New Zealand.

The local actor was 28 years old.

A Committee of Inquiry will be convened to investigate the circumstances of the death.

2. Nov. 3, 2018

Training accident

Corporal First Class Liu Kai, 22, died at the Jalan Murai training grounds when an armored infantry fighting vehicle reversed onto his jeep.

A Committee of Inquiry has been convened. The External Review Panel on SAF Safety (ERPSS) will be publishing a public report with the findings once the COI is done.

3. Oct. 9, 2018

Non-training accident

Third Warrant Officer (3WO) Muhammad Sadikin Hasban, 33, died after he was hit by a falling tree branch while supervising contractors performing maintenance work at a helicopter evacuation site in Brunei.

The accident happened two months before he was due to return to Singapore.

Sadikin had extended his service in Brunei by a year to a total of three years.

4. Sept. 28, 2018

An NSF was found hanging from a rope in his office in Sembawang Air Base.

5. Sept. 9, 2018

A 23-year-old police NSF died a week after he was found with a gunshot wound to his head.

His service revolver was found beside him. No foul play is suspected.

6. July 28, 2018

An off-duty SAF regular servicemen was found hanging from a rope in his bunk in Nee Soon Camp.

7. May 13, 2018

Corporal Kok Yuen Chin, 22, died in a hazing ritual.

He was pushed into a 12m-deep pump well at Tuas View Fire Station by his squad mates to celebrate the end of his two-year service. He never resurfaced.

A Committee of Inquiry was convened and several people have been charged and convicted.

8. April 30, 2018

Training accident

Corporal First Class Dave Lee, 19, succumbed to his injuries after being hospitalised for heatstroke.

He had collapsed from heat injury after completing an 8km fast march at Bedok Camp.

A Committee of Inquiry was convened. Training lapses and inadequate casualty management were uncovered.

The supervising officer of the fast march has been charged.

9. Sept. 15, 2017

Training accident

Third Sergeant Gavin Chan, 21, died in Australia during an overseas training exercise.

He had been guiding an armored infantry vehicle out of difficult terrain when it landed on its side.

He was found unconscious next to it, and succumbed to his injuries.

A Committee of Inquiry was convened and the final findings ruled the incident as an "unfortunate accident".