Solemn memorial service held for 12 martyrs in military drill incident

HCM CITY — A memorial service was held on Sunday in HCM City for 12 soldiers who lost their livesduring a military exercise in the southern province of Đồng Nai five days ago.

The event, held at the southern National Funeral House in Gò Vấp District, was attended by former State Presidents Nguyễn Minh Triết and Trương Tấn Sang, former Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng, Secretary of the HCM City Party Committee Nguyễn Văn Nên, and Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lieut. Gen. Võ Minh Lương.

Veterans and local people also gathered to pay their last respects to the fallen soldiers.

At the event, the organising board posthumously awarded the martyrs with the State President’s third-class National Defence Order, the Prime Minister’s certificate of national merit, and the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee’s brave youth badge.

Following the memorial service, they were laid to rest in military cemeteries in Bình Dương, Đồng Nai and Bình Thuận provinces as well as other localities, according to each of the martyr's hometown. 

The Military Region 7 organised a defence exercise under harsh weather conditions and in complex terrain from December 1-4, per a statement from the Ministry of National December.

At 20:27 on December 2, at the National Shooting Range in Zone 3, while transporting explosives to a designated location amidst heavy rain and thunderstorms, a team of soldiers from Battalion 17, Division 5, the Military Region 7, stopped for a break. Suddenly, an explosion occurred, resulting in many casualties. Initial findings revealed that lightning struck an electric detonator, causing it to trigger and detonate the explosives. — VNS