Singapore
An independent Committee of Inquiry will be convened to investigate the circumstances leading to the incident, MINDEF said in a statement announcing Pang’s death.
File photo of actor Aloysius Pang. (Photo: Facebook / Aloysius 冯伟衷)
SINGAPORE: Actor Aloysius Pang has died after sustaining serious injuries during a Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) training exercise in New Zealand, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said in a statement on Wednesday (Jan 23) night.
An independent Committee of Inquiry will be convened to investigate the circumstances leading to the incident, MINDEF added.
28-year-old Pang died at 8.45pm that evening at Waikato Hospital in Hamilton, where he was receiving treatment, the statement said.
He had been carrying out repair work inside a Singapore Self-Propelled Howitzer – an artillery gun mounted on an armoured chassis – with two other SAF personnel when the accident happened at the Waiouru Training Area on Jan 19.
“Unfortunately, CFC Pang sustained injuries when the gun barrel was lowered,” said MINDEF.
He was evacuated to Waikato Hospital, a regional trauma centre, where he underwent a number of surgeries to treat his injuries. Tan Tock Seng Hospital’s chief of trauma and acute care surgery, Dr Teo Li Tserng, was flown in to assist the New Zealand medical team tending to Pang.
“Despite surgical attempts to repair damaged organs putting him on artificial life support, CFC (NS) Pang succumbed to the injuries and passed away,” said MINDEF.
The SAF will be making arrangements to bring Pang’s body back to Singapore, said the ministry.
“The Ministry of Defence and the SAF extend their deepest condolences to the family of CFC (NS) Pang and will continue to render assistance and support in their time of loss,” the ministry added.
“A DIFFICULT TIME”
In a post uploaded to Pang’s Instagram page on Wednesday night, his family wrote that the days following the accident had been “a difficult time”.
“Throughout the past few days in the hospital, it has been a difficult time for us,” the post read.
“Every (piece of) news that was brought upon us since his last op was devastating with little signs of hope on his recovery. We all broke down when the medical team spoke to us that his condition was worsening and we should be prepared for the worst.
“We’re going to lose a brother. And my parents are going to lose their precious son whom (sic) is only 28.”
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