Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Ddasaccident420, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

It had been raining a lot one day before, then the ground became less hard and slippery. The truck drove on the usual track that both vehicles used to pass without any problem but due to the slippery ground conditions, the land cruiser escaped from the usual track and it activated a MAI-75 AP mine with its right rear wheel which caused an immediate explosion. This happened inside the cleared area, approximately 287 metres from the beginning of the road (at that time, 4700 metres had already been cleared).

Ddasaccident366, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

On the morning of the accident at approximately 10:15hrs the [Victim] was walking down the track and stepped on a large rock. This rock that was laid over the PMA3 blast mine moved and in so doing detonated the mine.

Ddasaccident794, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The 55-year-old Briton, surprisingly, smiles when asked to describe his immediate reactionThe 55-year-old Briton, surprisingly, smiles when asked to describe his immediate reaction when the Type 84 Chinese anti-tank mine he was trying to neutralise in Misurata, Libya last.

Ddasaccident364, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The soil was rocky, highly metallic and with dense vegetation, but still he carried on working only with the detector. After he finished that lane he returned to the second lane, which he had cleared that same morning. He was walked to the East in order to cut the vegetation of the third lane from another angle when his left foot stepped on a mine and detonated it. This was a PMN mine.

Ddasaccident373, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

At approximately 1320hrs on the day of the accident, the team leader of 13M [the Victim] was called forward by one of his deminers [name excised] to remove a PMA3 blast mine that he had located approximately 10cm beyond his base stick. [The Victim[ instructed the deminer to return to the rest area and wait until he had completed removing the mine. As [the Victim] got into the prone position to remove the mine he knelt on another PMA3 mine that was in the cleared lane.

Ddasaccident353, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

07:00 Casualty arrived in cleaning area at the minefield tasks site and began to prepare the machine for operations. [Ex pat No.1] took over responsibility for the demining operations from [Ex-pat No.2] in the neighbouring minefield. 07:15 Flailing operations began. 07:35 Detonation occurred.

Ddasaccident370, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

On the day of the accident at approximately 11:45hrs, the Victim was commencing a clearance lane up the side of a hill. He was investigating a reading from his metal detector by prodding, and was in the kneeling position at the time. Whilst prodding he detonated a PMA3 anti-personnel blast mine.

Ddasaccident370, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The Victim was working on a slope and the initial blast caused him to fall backwards and roll a little way down the hill. The team leader witnessed the explosion and then assisted the Victim to the rest area where they then awaited the arrival of the team medic. [The control group] was notified of the accident and a helicopter CASEVAC was requested. When the medic arrived he applied first aid treatment to his eyes. He was then assisted to the helicopter winch area by the medic and the remainder of the team and awaited the arrival of the CASEVAC …

Ddasaccident367, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

Approximately 70cm past this 1.2m x 1.2m area was a visual PMR2A. [The Victim] had an indication from his metal detector and was investigating this reading. He had cut the vegetation and was in the process of turning around to get his detector to pin point the reading when he placed the outside of his left foot on the mine and it detonated.

Ddasaccident440, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

HALO Sri Lanka manual demininG SOPs for 100% excavation. He was using the axe hammer tool to excavate the face of his lane down to a depth of 15cm when the detonation occurred. The mine detonated on the left hand side of his lane as he was using the axe hammer.”

Ddasaccident501, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

At approx. 0855 Hrs on Tuesday 11th September 2001 the deminer [the Victim] was fatally injured while performing manual demining duties for [International demining NGO]. The accident was caused by the accidental detonation of Pt Mi Ba III anti-tank mine. It should be noted that the casualty had been accepted to participate in the next Team Leaders course. At the commencement of the shift he was congratulated by all members of GS8 for being accepted for a demining team leader course. He was extremely happy on the day of the accident. He was married with one child and had no …

Ddasaccident372, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

[The Team Leader] then proceeded to step over the base stick at the end of the lane into the uncleared area. He has stated he did this in order to investigate the tripwire and identify the location of the PMR2A fragmentation mine. No one witnessed him at this time, and at 09:35hrs an uncontrolled detonation was heard in the location of where [the Victim] had walked.

Ddasaccident311, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The victim was conducting a “full-excavation” drill wearing a protective vest (RBR), a full-face visor with headband, and gloves. He was using a gardening tool/hand trowel and as he worked, he activated an M14 mine with the trowel.

Ddasaccident405, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The work-site leader, [the Victim], came to deminer [Deminer 1] at 9:20 to measure and record the positions of the mines he had found. During that process he noticed a PMA-2 in the waste [on the ground?] next to his left foot. During the exit of deminers from the lane and due to his own movements he activated [another] PMA-2, from which explosion he suffered heavy injuries (with the consequent amputation of his left foot).

Ddasaccident348, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

One deminer in team two notified his Section Leader that he had found a fuse in his lane. The Section Leader removed the fuse by lifting it and left the lane. Once back to his control point he decided to disarm the fuse by using a needle. When he opened the booster the fuse detonated.

Ddasaccident374, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

At approximately 08:40 hrs whilst Deminer [name excised] was either investigation a previously identified signal with his probe, or attempting to move a rock with his probe, an uncontrolled detonation of a PMA-3 anti-personnel blast mine occurred.

Ddasaccident402, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

On the morning of the accident a pile of mines were discovered at the base of a large tree approximately 7 metres before the seat of the explosion, this pile consisted of 8 x PMR2A, 1 x PMA1 and 1 x PMA2. [The Victim] had disarmed these mines and they were removed. The clearance lane then continued. In this lane there is a large rock, and beside this rock a PMR2A was discovered as well as 3 x PMA2. These mines were all disarmed and removed. The deminer was continuing with the clearance of this lane when [the Victim] came …

Ddasaccident005, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The demining group were clearing an 80km stretch of road using mine-dog teams and manual demining methods. They began work in November 1999. Work was suspended during the period of National floods, then restarted. They had cleared “approximately 43km” at the time of the accident. During the clearance task the demining team had found “1 UXO, 377 SAA of AKM” and 1724 pieces of metal.

Ddasaccident322, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

This minefield is PMA 3 Anti Personnel Blast minefield with the mines laid in a very dense pattern. All minefields in the Koshare area are cleared by prodding and excavation drills [detectors not used]. At 10:55 whilst Victim No.1 was conducting manual clearance, he stepped over his base stick and detonated a PMA3 blast mine.

Ddasaccident387, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The mine accident happened at 10:00 hrs on the 3rd July 2001 while the [Demining group] were conducting manual clearance operations at minefield GY002. The deminer had a signal when using his mine detector which he investigated with a prodder and then excavated using a trowel. After exposing the item that had given the signal the deminer removed it from the ground using his right hand. The item exploded.

Ddasaccident462, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

Mine exploded during excavation

Ddasaccident278, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

During the work, an unnamed TCN decided to light a PMN booster apparently “to frighten his mates”. The resulting explosion slightly damaged soft tissue on his hand.

Ddasaccident278, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

A commercial company was awarded an extensive contract that included the clearance of trenches along the coast in Kuwait city. The UXO that was safe to be collected was removed by “gangs” of ex-pat supervised Thai workers. Called “TCNs” (Third Country Nationals) the Thai workers were reported to have been given a one-day UXO handling course. They were not issued protective equipment.

During the work, an unnamed TCN decided to light a PMN booster apparently “to frighten his mates”. The resulting explosion slightly damaged soft tissue on his hand.

Ddasaccident306, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The victim was squatting while carrying out a “full excavation clearance” drill in the lane. He was using an unauthorised digging tool when he detonated a VS50 anti-personnel mine. The excavation tool is use was a Garden Trowel. The excavation tool was being used in a pushing motion rather than a scraping motion.

Ddasaccident400, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The deminer [the Victim] whilst excavating in a clearance lane, detonated a PMA3 anti-personnel blast mine. At the time of the accident he was using his excavating tool, and in the process of using this tool he detonated the mine.

Ddasaccident323, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The victim insisted that he help the International Supervisor with carrying the sticks into the mine rows and assist him with the marking. They had been in the lane for less than 10 minutes conducting marking, when the victim with a club hammer in his hand was bending down to pick up a marking stick. It was at this time that he stepped on a PMA-3 blast mine in what he thought to be the 10cm safety overlap.

Ddasaccident326, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

There were no witnesses to the actual explosion, however [the Victim] was walking back to the end of his clearance lane when he stepped on the mine at the entrance to his lane. The mine (PMA-3) was at a depth of 24cm in soft ground and positioned on a rock.

Ddasaccident332, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The Victim had just replaced his partner after 30 minutes rest. His metal detector gave 5 readings within a metre of the mine (which was “normal” for this field). The accident occurred while the Victim was prodding using a bayonet on a hillside in a grassy part of the minefield.

Ddasaccident401, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

[The Albanian adolescent] was sitting at the track intersection when [Demining group Ops manager] met up with him. [The Albanian adolescent] offered to take [Demining group Ops manager] and show him the location of a mined area that he knew of. Whilst following the lad, [Demining group Ops manager] has stated that he had doubts of the area they were walking through. He told [the Albanian adolescent] was searching the ground, and it was then that [Demining group Ops manager] realised they were in a minefield. He told [the Albanian adolescent] to stop and that they would go back. Almost …

Ddasaccident324, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

A demining section from demining platoon No 2 were working at the demining site at Kraljan. At approximately 1105 hrs there was an uncontrolled explosion after [the Victim] inadvertently stood on a PMA-3 anti-personnel mine, in an area that [another demining group’s] EDD assets had previously cleared in 2000.