Marine burned in TNI show dies
Marine burned in TNI show dies
Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar, South Sulawesi
A 23-year-old marine, who caught fire two days ago while taking part in a mock raid to mark the 58th celebration of Indonesian Military (TNI) Day in the South Sulawesi capital, Makassar, died on Tuesday in the hospital.
The death brought the number of soldiers killed in connection with this year's TNI anniversary celebration on Sunday to nine.
Second Sgt. Hery Wahyudi died at around 4:57 a.m. local time on Tuesday at the Pelamonia military hospital, Makassar, from severe burns.
Hospital director Col. Harry Yusmanadi said about 90 percent of Hery's body sustained serious burns.
"His condition was quite severe. Since he was hospitalized here, the victim remained unconscious until he died," Yusmanadi added.
He said the fire also damaged several of Hery's vital organs, including his respiratory tract, forcing doctors to install a tube to help him breathe.
His heart was unable to beat normally and his blood pressure was abnormal, Yusmanadi added.
He said the hospital had done everything it could to optimize efforts to save the life of Hery by deploying at least seven doctors, some from the Makassar-based Hasanuddin University, to take care of him.
The body was handed over to his Naval unit in Makassar four hours before being flown, at around 1 p.m., to his hometown, Kali Jati, Subang regency, West Java, for burial.
Hery was one of a number of Army soldiers and marines who took part in a mock raid against a suspected hideout of Free Aceh Movement (GAM) members, during Sunday's celebration to mark TNI Day, adjacent to the Mandal Monument in Makassar.
As part of the scenario, the raid was preceded by the throwing of a smoke grenade at the target before the attack was launched.
When the grenade ignited, Hery and other soldiers immediately entered the hideout. But seconds later, the camouflage Hery was wearing also ignited.
The fire also burned his military uniform. The victim could not be rescued quickly because there was no fire extinguisher or water immediately available at the site.
Sustaining serious burns, Hery was then rushed to the Pelamonia hospital for intensive care, while the celebration was immediately halted.
On Saturday, eight members of the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) drowned in the sea off Lhokseumawe in the war-torn province of Aceh during a rehearsal for the TNI Day celebration.
Their bodies were discovered floating and tied to one another around 40 meters from the scene on Monday.
The soldiers fell to the sea as the rope that tied them together while hanging from a helicopter had to be cut after bad weather had made the aircraft unstable.
Military officials said the harness was cut to prevent the further loss of life during the accident, but added that an investigation had been launched into alleged procedural violations preceding the incident.