One soldier was killed in the latest military fatal mishap, where a tank overturned and was consumed in flames in Little Kinmen. President Tsai Ing-wen has ordered to investigate how the accident happened.


A tank accident in Lieyu or Little Kinmen killed one and injured one on the 8th. The lead officer in charge, Sergeant Lin Kai-chiang, was pronounced dead at the hospital while the driver, Corporal Liu Yu-hung, sustained a minor arm injury. On the 9th, President Tsai Ing-wen said she hopes Liu's family can mourn him.

(I have ordered the Ministry of National Defense) to give preferential treatment to our brother who died in the line of duty. With regards to this accident, we are also asking the ministry to investigate fully.

Tsai also responded to media questions about whether the government had plans to replace M41A3 tanks, which have already been in service for over six decades. Tsai said she is already planning to buy newer tanks.

Lin's family flew to Kinmen to handle his funeral arrangements. According to military data, Lin was 27 years old and part of the 2017 reserve sergeant class. His military service would have been up next April.

Taiwan's military has been increasingly accident-prone in recent years with frequent fatal accidents ranging from tanks stalling and colliding with other tanks to exploding barrel bores to running over hummers. The worst one in recent memory took place in August 2016 during the Han Kuang exercise, when an Army CM-11 tank rolled into a river, killing all four aboard. The most recent accident is believed to have been caused by over-acceleration while driving down a slope. The Ministry of National Defense says it has formed a task force to investigate.



國慶前夕國軍發生憾事，金防部烈嶼守備大隊一輛M41A3戰車，8號下午值勤時意外翻覆起火，造成一死一傷，車長林楷強中士送醫後不幸殉職、駕駛劉禹宏下士手部輕傷，治療後無礙。對此，總統蔡英文9號表示，希望殉職車長的家屬節哀。

總統 蔡英文表示：「（請國防部)務必一定要從優撫卹，我們殉職的弟兄。對於這一件意外的翻覆事件，我們也請國防部務必要查明原因。」

對於媒體提問，M41A3戰車服役已經60多年，發生此意外後是否會加快汰換老舊戰車，蔡總統回應，已經有計畫採購最新型戰車。

殉職林姓中士的家屬，9號在軍方人員陪同下，從高雄岡山空軍基地，搭乘專機前往金門處理後事。根據軍方資料，林姓中士今年27歲，儲備士官106年班，明年4月就要退伍，卻意外身亡，讓家人團圓天倫夢碎。

近年國軍各式戰車意外頻傳，最嚴重的是2016年8月16號，陸軍564旅一輛CM-11型戰車，在進行「漢光32號」預演時，因履帶卡住，導致戰車翻覆掉入網紗溪，造成4名官兵死亡。翻開歷年事故清單，有戰車熄火下滑撞車、砲管膛炸斷傷人，也有墜湖、擦撞官兵以及輾過悍馬車，造成傷亡。至於此次M41A3戰車翻覆事故，疑似是在下坡路段車速過快翻覆。國防部表示，已成立專案小組，將配合檢調釐清肇事原因。