An M60A3 tank yesterday collided with an army Hummer on a Greater Tainan base, leaving one soldier dead and four injured.
The accident took place at an army training base in Baihe Township (白河).
The base commander, Colonel Chang Ching-yang (張景陽), told a press conference that at 6:50am, an M60A3 tank belonging to Hualien Command was passing a Hummer from the Eighth Army Corps when the two vehicles collided. The Hummer rolled over and the tank then partially crushed the Hummer, Chang said.
The Hummer was carrying eight soldiers and five of them were injured in the accident, he added.
A soldier, Lai Wei-ting (賴韋廷), fell out of the Hummer and hit his head on the ground, Chang said, adding that Lai died before he could be taken to a hospital.
The four other soldiers included Wu Kuan-yi (吳冠毅), who was the most seriously injured, suffering a fractured pelvis.
The four military personnel in the tank were uninjured, the colonel added.
Chang said that, according to regulations, tanks have to stop and wait for Hummers or other military vehicles to pass first when approaching one another.
He said the initial investigation suggested the tank did not stop to allow the Hummer to pass.
Military prosecutors yesterday afternoon inspected the scene of the accident.
Chang said the tank driver would face a criminal investigation.
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