21-year-old NSF dies after vehicular incident at Australia's Shoalwater Bay Training Area

A file photo of a Bionix Infantry Fighting Vehicle. NSF Chan Hiang Cheng Gavin, 21, was travelling in a similar vehicle as part of Exercise Wallaby at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Australia when the vehicular incident took place on Sept 15, 2017. ST FILE PHOTO

SINGAPORE - A 21-year-old Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) full-time National Serviceman died on Friday (Sept 15) after he was involved in a vehicular incident at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Queensland, Australia.

3rd Sergeant (3SG) Chan Hiang Cheng Gavin, a vehicle commander from 41st Battalion Singapore Armoured Regiment, was involved in the incident which took place at around 6.15pm (Singapore time) on Friday (Sept 15), the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

He was travelling in a Bionix Infantry Fighting Vehicle as part of Exercise Wallaby when the incident happened. An SAF medic carried out resuscitation on 3SG Chan, who was unconscious.

He was evacuated via a helicopter to Rockhampton Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at around 10.36pm (Singapore time), said the statement.

Exercise Wallaby, an annual event, is the SAF's largest unilateral overseas drill.

A safety pause on training in Shoalwater Bay Training Area has taken effect, and an investigation of the incident is ongoing.

"The Ministry of Defence and the SAF extend their deepest condolences to the family of the late serviceman and are assisting the family in this time of grief," the statement said.

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