A severe accident occurred during a military training exercise in Vietnam, resulting in the deaths of six soldiers after an armored vehicle sank. The Ministry of Defense officially confirmed the incident on Saturday, though the tragedy took place on Thursday. According to authorities, the accident happened at the TB1 National Shooting Range in Bac Ninh city in northern Vietnam during a routine training operation. All the deceased soldiers belonged to the 102nd Regiment of the 308th Division under the 12th Corps.
Details of the Incident and Official Response
Based on official information, the vehicle encountered a malfunction around 8:25 AM in the Bien Son commune area, leading to it sinking during the exercise. The soldiers who perished belonged to Battalion 9, Company 10, Platoon 5, and Squad 4. Among them, two served as corporals while four held the rank of sergeants. Prime Minister Le Minh Hung expressed grief over the tragedy on Friday and decided to honor the fallen troops. The Prime Minister signed an order announcing that the victims would be awarded the Fatherlands Recognition certificates.
Prior Training Accidents in the Country
This is not the first time a fatal incident has occurred during military drills in Vietnam. In December 2024, an unexpected explosion took place during military training at a firing range in the 7th Military Region located in Dong Nai, claiming the lives of twelve Vietnamese soldiers. That accident was triggered when a severe storm caused lightning to strike, activating the electric detonator of a team transporting gunpowder. A similar tragedy struck in July 2014 when a military aircraft crashed near the capital city of Hanoi during a routine drill, resulting in sixteen fatalities.
