Black days for the army

First came that Hercules transport machine (Read about this: 2nd attempt also failed: Hercules machine couldn’t start again) for their planned rescue mission in Israel. A few days later, on Monday, a young non-commissioned officer (24) from the Innviertel died in a tank accident at the Allentsteig military training area, and three comrades were injured. On Thursday evening, an army helicopter burst into flames after landing in the Innviertel, leaving six soldiers injured.

• Now read: Noel (24) died in a tank accident: great sadness in St. Martin im Innkreis

The next incident occurred yesterday afternoon on the grounds of the Vogler Air Base in Hörsching, which ended with injuries. An initial report even spoke of an “explosion”, but fortunately the incident was apparently mild. The affected employee was busy carrying out maintenance work on an army fire engine, Colonel Gerhard Oberreiter said yesterday in response to an OÖN request. “Battery fluid” was suddenly sprayed into the soldier’s face.

The injured man was taken to a hospital to “rinse” his face. The Red Cross control center confirmed the operation in Hörsching, but the patient was apparently only slightly injured, it was said. The army’s fire engines are “among the best in the world,” it was emphasized.

Fortunately, the helicopter accident in Pramet in the Ried district also ended lightly. As reported, an Agusta Bell 212 with six passengers – three soldiers from Upper Austria, three from Carinthia – was on a training flight from Hörsching towards Wels.

Soldiers were allowed to leave the hospital

The aim of the exercise was to land and take off in open terrain, says Army spokesman Colonel Michael Bauer. The landing also went smoothly. However, when taking off, the helicopter “probably got stuck” and tipped over. Immediately afterwards the machine caught fire. Five members of the armed forces were allowed to leave the hospital on Friday night after outpatient treatment. One of the air rescuers from Carinthia remained stationary for observation and should be released on Friday, says Bundeswehr spokesman Bauer. Three injured people were taken to the Rieder hospital, where there was talk of “luck in misfortune”.

More about the helicopter accident:

• Burning army helicopter in Pramet: occupants were able to save themselves (October 20, 2023)
• Army helicopter accident: No more soldiers in the hospital (October 19, 2023)

Investigations into the cause of the accident have now fully begun. The army dispatched an aviation accident commission with a “Black Hawk” helicopter. The number of commission members is not fixed, says Bauer. In any case, this consists of a pilot, a meteorologist, a technician and a doctor. The commission has one year to submit a final report on the cause of the accident. The first findings should be available “in the next few weeks,” says Bauer.

The incident is not only being investigated within the army. The State Criminal Police Office of Upper Austria has also started investigations into negligent bodily harm on behalf of the Linz public prosecutor’s office. “We have appointed our own court expert, in addition to the army commission,” Ried public prosecutor Alois Ebner announced on Friday in response to an OÖN query.

• Person of the day: Army spokesman Michael Bauer

After the accident in Allentsteig, in which a “Leopard 2” tank fell over an embankment, the Krems public prosecutor’s office also initiated an investigation. The first results should be available in three to four weeks, says an authority spokesman when asked by OÖN.

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