18.06.2012.
Press conference on occasion of the accident on "Pasuljanske livade" training ground
Two cadets of the Military Academy were killed and two were seriously injured, while five received minor injuries in the explosion of remaining missiles that occurred this morning at 9:05 o'clock, during a regular training at the training ground “Pasuljanske livade”.The accident, as the Chief of Public Affairs of the Ministry of Defence Colonel Milivoje Pajovic said at the press conference held today, occurred when a 30 millimeters shell exploded, which is used for automatic missile launcher.
On that occasion, two cadets of the final year of the MA, department of infantry Milina Miletic from Gornji Milanovac and Fhilip Milojevic from the village of Gornja Trnava near Topola were killed, while cadets Tanja Milosevic from Lebane and Stefan Milosavljevic from Novi Sad sustained grave injuries. Cadets Mirjana Velickovic from Surdulica, Jelena Obradovic from Kragujevac, Slobodan Petrovic from Vlasova near Raska, M. Milosavljevic from Aleksinac and Nikola Garabiljevic from Sabac sustained minor injuries, all in their final year of the MA.- On this occasion, members of the Ministry of Defense and the Army of Serbia express sincere condolences to the families of military academy cadets were killed- said Colonel Pajovic speaking to the media.
Head of the Military Academy Major General Mladen Vuruna said that this tragedy occurred in regular classes as part of the training of cadets of 133rd class.
The incident occurred during the training of the MA cadets, in infantry department. The theme was March of a company, with transition to attack. The lesson was performed with the teacher and was such that they did not use weapons and ammunition, while the topic was the development of models, that is, simulation of space in which in real time and space they would put into practice- said general Vuruna and reiterated that these were graduates who have undergone infantry weapon training.Speaking about the injured cadets, head of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Trauma ward at the MMA LTC prof. Dr. Radoslav Barjaktarovic explained that immediately after the accident he was ordered to prepare a team for urgent surgery and that they were sent by helicopter to the scene, and then the General Hospital in Cuprija.
All injured cadets are stable and out of life danger. Of the seven injured and hospitalized, two cadets suffered severe chest injury, while the other five have minor injuries to the head, body and limbs obtained from shrapnel. After selecting four with the most serious injuries, we had them transported to the Military Medical Academy, while other three cadets with minor injuries are on their way to arrive at the Academy, said Lt. Col. Barjaktarovic, adding that all those in a need of additional surgery will be operated.Colonel Pajovic also added that all the cadets, both those with severe and minor injuries contacted their families as soon as they were hospitalized in Cuprija, and that the delegation of the Ministry of Defense and the Army of Serbia had expressed condolences to the families of the victims and had already visited the families.
Responding to questions from reporters, and citing preliminary data, he said that a missile that exploded was not used during the preparation for the exercise "Graduate 2012" or any exercise activities on military activities but, since there were signs of corrosion on it, as he put it, this was probably one of the missiles remaining from previous activities in this field.
Colonel Pajovic added that the officers at the time of the explosion were near a group of cadets and graduates were close to each other, because they were making a model at Pasuljanske livade. At the time of the accident there were 600 cadets divided into four groups along with officers, and support staff at the training ground.- The Commission will determine how and why the missile was found in a place that is not in the target area, but near where the cadets performed exercise, during which they do not normally use weapons and equipment- said Colonel Pajovic noting that the Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac formed an investigative commission to determine the circumstances of the accident.
Inspectorate of Defense, the Military and Police Commission as established by the Minister of Defense shall investigate all the circumstances of the accident today.
We have information on all types of shooting. There have been several shooting exercises at Pasuljanske livade ground from these types of weapons, as well as at dozens of other locations. We are investigating everything, said Colonel Pajovic noting that the standard procedure includes a thorough search of the terrain including all buildings and premises before giving them away for use.According to him, it is assumed that the projectile has long been in that place and that it was not found during the regular procedure.
The press conference was attended by the Rector of the University of Defence Lt. Gen. prof. Dr Miodrag Jevtic and Chief of the Training and Doctrine Command, Major General Jovica Draganic.
The injured cadets at the Military Medical Academy were today visited the President of Serbia, Tomislav Nikolic, Serbian Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac and Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Ljubisa Dikovi?.
