SINGAPORE: Home-grown actor Aloysius Pang died on Wednesday (Jan 23), four days after he was seriously injured in an accident during an SAF military training exercise in New Zealand, where he was on reservist duty.
The accident happened on Saturday at 2.05pm Singapore time.
READ: Actor Aloysius Pang dies after sustaining serious injuries in SAF training accident
Here’s what we know so far in the wake of the incident.
HOW WAS HE INJURED?
When the accident happened, Pang, along with two other SAF personnel, was carrying out repair work inside a Singapore Self-Propelled Howitzer (SSPH), which is an artillery gun mounted on an armoured chassis.
A Singapore Self-Propelled Howitzer 1 Primus. (Photo: MINDEF)
According to a statement from the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) on Wednesday, Pang sustained injuries when the gun barrel was lowered.
HOW SERIOUS WERE HIS INJURIES?
Pang, 28, who held the rank of Corporal First Class (National Service), was injured in the chest and abdominal areas, said MINDEF. He was conscious while he was evacuated from Waiouru Camp Medical Centre to Waikato Hospital.
He underwent abdominal surgery on Saturday evening, and it was completed at 11.40pm Singapore time.
A “follow-up relook surgery” was successfully done on Monday, said MINDEF.
Pang had been in stable condition and was breathing on his own after that surgery, according to Tan Tock Seng Hospital’s chief of trauma and acute care surgery, Dr Teo Li Tserng, who was flown to New Zealand to help the medical team there.
READ: Aloysius Pang sustained chest, abdominal injuries during SAF training exercise: MINDEF
Pang’s mother spoke to him, and arrangements were also made for his father and brother to fly to New Zealand.
On Wednesday (Jan 23) however, Pang’s condition worsened. He underwent a third surgery and was transferred to the intensive care unit, MINDEF said.
Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen added in a Facebook post that Pang’s condition was “very serious”, and that he needed artificial life support for his lungs, kidneys and heart.
Despite surgeons’ attempts to repair his damaged organs, CFC (NS) Pang succumbed to his injuries.
WHAT HAPPENS NOW?
An independent Committee of Inquiry will be convened to investigate the circumstances leading to the incident.
A press conference will be held on Jan 24 to present the preliminary findings, and will be chaired by Melvyn Ong, the Chief of Defence Force.
The SAF will make arrangements to bring the body of the late CFC (NS) Pang back to Singapore.
WHY WAS HE TRAINING IN NEW ZEALAND?
The actor, a familiar face on local Mandarin television, had been on reservist duty.
Before he left for New Zealand, he wrote on Facebook in a Jan 5 post: “Off to serve our country. Back at the end of the month! May not be able to post much when I’m there so (wait for me to return) yeah.”
Pang, an armament technician from the 268th Battalion Singapore Artillery, was participating in Exercise Thunder Warrior at New Zealand’s Waiouru Training Area when the incident happened.
Exercise Thunder Warrior is an annual artillery live-firing exercise which has been conducted since 1997.
This year’s exercise, which runs from Jan 5 to Feb 2, involves more than 500 personnel from the 268th and 24th Battalions, Singapore Artillery.
