12 SAF servicemen injured after 2 Hunter armoured fighting vehicles collide during Exercise Wallaby

SINGAPORE: Twelve national servicemen have been injured after two armoured vehicles collided during Exercise Wallaby, the Singapore Armed Forces’ (SAF) largest unilateral overseas exercise, in Queensland, Australia on Tuesday (Sep 24). 
“At approximately 7.40pm Australia time (5.40pm Singapore time), one Hunter armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) rear-ended another while moving back to base at Shoalwater Bay Training Area,” the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said in a statement.
“Twelve SAF servicemen sustained minor injuries and they have been transported to the hospital. They are currently being treated or recovering well.
“The safety and well-being of our people is of paramount importance. The army has called for a safety pause to remind drivers to maintain proper distance. MINDEF/SAF wish the servicemen a speedy recovery.”
Australian news outlet 9News reported that the incident involved an Australian tank and a Singaporean tank.  
The injured servicemen were airlifted by military helicopter to Rockhampton Airport and then transported to hospital by ambulance, the Daily Mail Australia said.
Exercise Wallaby, which was first conducted in 1990, is held at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Queensland. This year’s edition started on Sep 8 and will run until Nov 3, and involves about 6,200 personnel, including 500 operationally ready national servicemen.
The Hunter AFV is jointly developed by the Defence Science and Technology Agency, the Singapore Army and ST Engineering. In 2019, it replaced the SAF’s previous fleet of Ultra M113 AFVs, which had been in service since the 1970s.
It is equipped with, among others, a 30mm cannon, a 76mm smoke grenade launcher and an automatic target detection and tracking system to enable the crew to detect targets faster and more effectively. It also has an increased speed and operating range, enabling it to travel longer distances.