Navy probes marine's burning death

JAKARTA: The Navy is investigating the recent burning to death of a marine during an Indonesia Military (TNI) show in South Sulawesi.

The investigation will focus on the smoke grenade that caused the soldier's camouflage outfit to catch fire.

Marine Corps Commander Maj. Gen. Ahmad Rivai said on Thursday that investigators were currently focusing on the smoke grenade.

"A smoke grenade is not supposed to produce flames. We want to know how it set fire to the stage and the marine," he told reporters at TNI headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta.

Rivai hoped that the investigation would prevent similar accidents in the future.

Second Sgt. Hery Wahyudi died on Tuesday of severe burns. The 23-year-old marine's camouflage outfit caught fire while he was taking part in a mock raid to mark the 58th celebration of the TNI in the South Sulawesi capital of Makassar two days earlier.

He was one of a number of Army soldiers and marines taking part in the mock raid on a Free Aceh Movement (GAM) hideout.

The raid, according to the scenario, was to be preceded by the lobbing of a smoke grenade at the target before the attack was launched. However, flames from the grenade set fire to Hery's camouflage gear.

No fire extinguishers or water were available to put out the flames and, despite their military training, the dozens of soldiers and marines at the scene appeared completely at a loss to know what to do. -- JP