Two Soldiers Die After Anti-landing Drill Accident|落海導致窒息及併發症 海陸翻艇事故2死

Two of the three soldiers who were injured during a military anti-landing drill on July 3 have died from complications. Meanwhile, a navy officer who was among the supervisors of the anti-landing exercise has committed suicide, allegedly due to self-blame from the incident. However, his family doesn't believe he would commit such an act and a re-investigation will be launched.


A fatal accident happened on July 3 when the Marine Corp was carrying out a military drill and the rubber craft overturned in waters due to rough waves. Three injured soldiers were put on Extra-Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) and two of them, First Class Private Tsai Po-yu and Sergeant Chen Chih-jung, have died in the early morning and in the afternoon on July 5 respectively. President Tsai Ing-wen was at the hospital extending her condolences while the Navy Command said they will assist the family members with the funeral.

Sergeant Chen Chih-jung and First Class Private Tsai Po-yu have died in line of duty during a anti-landing military drill. We will do our best to assist in posthumous promotion, compensation and funeral.

Meanwhile, a navy officer surnamed Yang, who was in the Naval Education, Training and Doctrine Development Command and one of the supervisors of this exercise, was reported to have committed suicide on 5th. The Naval Education, Training and Doctrine Development Command believed Yang took his own life out of self-blame and grieve because the injured soldiers were his students. The Prosecutors Office's initial investigation found no apparent trauma either.

The prosecutor and the forensic doctor were at the scene to carry out the investigation immediately. They went to the Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital to examine the corpse and interrogate related witnesses. The initial finding showed that there was no apparent trauma to the body.

However, Yang's family members do not believe that Yang would take his own life and there was no suicide note at the scene. In order to be cautious, the prosecutors have arranged another time to re-investigate the matter.



海軍陸戰隊7月3號操演發生的翻覆意外，3名用葉克膜急救的官兵裡面，上兵蔡博宇跟上士陳志榮分別在5號凌晨及下午宣布死亡，總統蔡英文也到醫院慰問家屬，海軍陸戰隊也表示會協助家屬處理後事。

海軍陸戰隊指揮部政戰主任 林傳盛表示：「陳志榮上士，跟蔡博宇上兵，在這次操演，戮力的戰訓，因公殉職，我們會全力的來辦理追晉，因公撫卹，跟治喪的相關事宜。」

另外，操演的訓練教官之一，海軍教準部戰技訓測中心的楊姓軍官5號上午也傳出輕生的消息，教準部調查認為可能因為落水的官兵是他的學員，他不捨加上自責才輕生，檢調初步判斷也沒發現明顯外傷。

橋頭地檢署襄閱主任檢察官 王柏敦表示：「檢察官跟法醫，是隨即趕往現場去勘驗，而且前往國軍高雄左營分院相驗遺體，以及訊問相關的證人，經初步的相驗結果，遺體是無明顯外傷。」

不過楊姓軍官的家屬不相信他會輕生，加上現場沒留遺書，所以檢調為了慎重，也另外安排時間要再複驗。