Two soldiers injured in early morning paratrooping accident

Apr 06, 2018 News

Selwyn Cumberbatch and Leron Stewart, two paratroopers from the Guyana Defence Force’s 31 Special Forces Squadron, were yesterday injured when their parachutes became entangled during a routine training exercise conducted at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri.
According to a release from the Guyana Defence Force, the incident occurred sometime around 08:15hours yesterday.
A video of the incident obtained by Kaieteur News showed the two soldiers jumping out of the plane and becoming entangled before hitting the ground. The men experienced a hard landing.
The two soldiers were rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where they were treated for head injuries and abrasions about their bodies.
According to a source, a CT scan and X-ray were done on each of the injured men, but those tests “came back clear”.
Commenting on the matter yesterday, State Minister Joseph Harmon told reporters at his weekly Post Cabinet press briefing that what occurred was indeed unfortunate, but he added some perspective in relation to the dangers of the occupation.
“There are various things that occur when a person jumps out of an aircraft…the injuries that are suffered, we are sorry about it, but these are just some of the occupational hazards of being in the military and being engaged in activities of this nature,” Harmon stated.
Cumberbatch and Stewart are both still patients at the medical institution and are said to be in stable condition.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News