AN AIR Force trainee who collapsed during a fitness test last year and later died in hospital was felled by heatstroke, a coroner ruled yesterday at an inquiry into his death.

Corporal Ricky Liu Jun Hong, 20, had pneumonia and suffered from multiple organ failure after overheating during a 2.4km run in Paya Lebar on Nov 15. He died 10 days later, devastating his family who, just days earlier, were hopeful when his condition seemingly stabilised.

Yesterday, State Coroner Victor Yeo ruled the death an accident, concluding there were no lapses in the conduct of the air force officers overseeing the fitness test Cpl Liu was taking at the time.

Mr Yeo said, 'The immediate medical attention given to the deceased was prompt and appropriate.'

Cpl Liu's parents were not in court for the inquiry. In a telephone interview, his father said the family did not go to court as they had some idea of what the verdict will be.

'He was a very healthy boy. We are very sad,' said Mr Lew Sin Huat, 54. 'We are reminded of him every day when we walk past his room, which is left the way it was before he died.'

Cpl Liu had been at the Air Force School along Airport Road  doing a physical proficiency test. He had completed the four stations required to pass the test - sit-ups, standing broad jumps, chin-ups and the 4 x 10m shuttle run.

Participants were given a 20-minute break before doing the 2.4km run, and they were asked by the conducting officer to drop out from the test if they were not feeling well. About five participants dropped out, but Cpl Liu carried on with the run, which began at about 9am.

Just as he was about to cross the finish line, he was seen running in a zig-zag manner and suddenly collapsed.

A standby medic immediately gave him cold water and fanned him before a safety vehicle brought him to the Paya Lebar Medical Centre, about 500m away.

At the centre, Liu was unresponsive and was able to move his limbs and open his eyes only in response to pain. His body temperature then was deemed high at 39.7 deg C. His clothes were removed and ice packs were placed on his body before he was taken to Changi General Hospital, according to court papers.

In the ambulance, he regained consciousness and was later placed in a unit at the hospital to lower his temperature, which was about 40 deg C.

He began to show signs of improvement and was placed under observation. His condition was stable for the next two days before doctors found that his blood was dangerously short of oxygen. It was downhill from then on. Cpl Liu's organs began failing and he died 10 days after collapsing during the run.

This year, four soldiers have died during military exercises, including one who collapsed on Tuesday after doing chin-ups.