Soldier lightly injured as his ‘Chariot’ overturns during IDF tank training

 

Tank rolls over during training

after it

 diverged from its route

 in Zeelim base in southern Israel. A soldier was lightly injured and taken to hospital.

By Yoav Zitun

A tank diverged from its route and rolled over on Tuesday during an IDF training exercise in the southern base of Zeelim. One soldier was lightly injured and taken to the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba.

Merkava Mark III tank flips over - Photo courtesy IDF

Merkava Mark III tank flips over – Photo courtesy IDF

Three other soldiers who were manning the tank were not injured, but were taken for medical examinations nonetheless.

The reserve brigade commander, who commanded the exercise, arrived at the the scene with senior officers to examine the circumstances of the accident. The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said the army has launched an investigation into the event.

A similar accident in August 2009 ended in tragedy. Sergeant Uriel Peretz Librant, 21, was killed and three soldiers were lightly injured as a tank flipped over during an exercise in the Golan Heights.

The two accidents occurred with the Merkava Mark III tank. This tank was launched in 1990, and since then has gone through a number of improvements. It weighs about 65 tons and its maximum speed is 65 km/h (40 mph).

 

View original Ynet publication at: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4385394,00.html