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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons

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1997

Afghanistan

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Articles 1 - 30 of 61

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Ddasaccident132, Hd-Aid Dec 1997

Ddasaccident132, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The investigators determined that the victim was investigating a reading in a pile of soil deposited by the back-hoe when the mine went off. The investigators reported that the victim claimed to have been using a bayonet but that his lack of injury made them think this unlikely.


Ddasaccident134, Hd-Aid Dec 1997

Ddasaccident134, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The investigators determined that Victim No.1 was investigating a pile of spoil deposited by the back-hoe when he got a continuous detector reading and started excavating with a long handled shovel. He detonated a mine. The mine was identified as a PMN (by "found fragments").


Ddasaccident133, Hd-Aid Dec 1997

Ddasaccident133, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The investigators decided that the victim got a detector reading and investigated it but found nothing. He checked with the detector and still got a reading, so squatted to prod thinking it was a fragment. The device which exploded was assumed to be an MUV fuze because of the presence of POMZ fragments in that minefield.


Ddasaccident136, Hd-Aid Dec 1997

Ddasaccident136, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

No investigation on behalf of the UN MAC was made available. An initial letter informing the UN MAC of the accident was found. The following summarises its content.


Ddasaccident135, Hd-Aid Dec 1997

Ddasaccident135, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The investigators decided that the victim found a detector reading, marked it, and started to excavate with a pick – contravening a UN MAC directive to stop using a pick for excavation. The mine was identified as a PMN (from "found fragments").


Ddasaccident137, Hd-Aid Nov 1997

Ddasaccident137, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The victims were in a vehicle that detonated an AT mine with a front wheel. The ground was a dirt road in grazing land. A photograph showed a flat earth area with water in puddles. "The front wheel of the truck and the cabin were destroyed". [A photograph showed the cab separated from the truck and severely damaged.]


Ddasaccident139, Hd-Aid Nov 1997

Ddasaccident139, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The investigators concluded that the victim was feeling unwell and had requested leave, so he might not have been concentrating when he stepped into an uncleared area. He might also have stepped on a missed mine.


Ddasaccident139, Hd-Aid Nov 1997

Ddasaccident139, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The investigators checked the Team's detectors and found five to be not "in proper working condition". The victim used one of these detectors. At the end of the working day the victim was taking his equipment to the store and either stepped into an uncleared area or stepped on a missed mine (due to the faulty detectors).


Ddasaccident009, Hd-Aid Nov 1997

Ddasaccident009, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The victim had been a deminer for seven years. It was ten days since he had last attended a revision course, and two days since he was last on leave. The ground being cleared was described as the medium-hard bed of a dry lake. The victim's bayonet was destroyed and the visor damaged. The investigators claimed to have found fragments to confirm that the mine involved was a PMN.


Ddasaccident140, Hd-Aid Oct 1997

Ddasaccident140, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The investigators decided that the victim was working with the detector and got a reading. He placed one mark and squatted to prod without wearing his helmet correctly. His bayonet was “destroyed” in the accident.


Ddasaccident141, Hd-Aid Oct 1997

Ddasaccident141, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The investigators determined that the victim had got a detector reading, marked it and then started to excavate using a shovel and without wearing his helmet and visor. They said that during the investigation people pretended the victim has been marking the cleared area when the accident occurred but in the original accident report it was mentioned that the accident occurred during prodding – the investigators decided that "this is their pretext to confuse investigation".


Ddasaccident142, Hd-Aid Oct 1997

Ddasaccident142, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The investigators determined that the victims went to check the Central Disposal Site. While checking that no UXOs were left (by hand) they uncovered some phosphorous which spontaneously ignited in contact with air.


Ddasaccident143, Hd-Aid Oct 1997

Ddasaccident143, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The investigators determined that a dog had indicated a reading and Victim No.1 used his detector at the site and got two readings 35cm apart. He marked one of the indications and uncovered a MK 7 AT mine. Thinking that the second reading must be a fragment, he began investigating it carelessly and detonated the mine. His bayonet was "lost".


Ddasaccident144, Hd-Aid Oct 1997

Ddasaccident144, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The investigators determined that the victim was carrying four UXOs to a Central Demolition Site when he slipped and dropped the UXOs.


Ddasaccident145, Hd-Aid Oct 1997

Ddasaccident145, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The investigators found that "the ground was suitable for prodding in a prone position, but the victim was performing prodding in the squatting position. During prodding he failed to maintain the correct prodding angle and applied excessive pressure on the mine…it is presumed that the locator of the victim might not have been working properly…" The deminer's visor and glove were damaged, and his bayonet was reported to have been "lost".


Ddasaccident147, Hd-Aid Sep 1997

Ddasaccident147, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The investigators determined that the accident occurred when the deminer used only one marking stone to mark a detector signal, then prodded in a squatting position which "failed him to maintain the correct prodding angle". It is suggested that he was careless because he thought he had detected a fragment (having detected many fragments immediately beforehand).


Ddasaccident146, Hd-Aid Sep 1997

Ddasaccident146, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The investigators said that, "When the deminer registered a reading on the detector, he marked the reading and then started prodding in half prone/squatting position. After a few minutes prodding he approached the second marker and the mine went off".


Ddasaccident138, Hd-Aid Sep 1997

Ddasaccident138, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The accident area was undulating and steep with dry earth and rock. The team had found "many" PMNs in the area prior to the accident. The deminer was clearing a safe-lane and was using a prodder to inspect a reading when a PMN exploded at 11:20. He suffered minor blast injuries to his neck and chin as well as small injuries to both hands in the dorsal area and his right shoulder. His visor and helmet took most of the blast. The victim walked out of the accident area and was taken to the Emergency hospital in Sulymania along with …


Ddasaccident148, Hd-Aid Sep 1997

Ddasaccident148, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The investigators determined that Victim No.1 was scratching a mark to show the end of the breaching land outside the area actually cleared (he should have left a 50cm safety margin the other way) when his bayonet pulled the tripwire attached to the mine. The mine was three metres away from the deminer when it was initiated. They thought that Victim No 2 did not maintain the proper safety distance and so was hit by some fragments.


Ddasaccident149, Hd-Aid Sep 1997

Ddasaccident149, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The investigators determined that the victim did not use a tripwire feeler before using the detector, despite the known presence of tripwire mines. They decided that he then moved the detector head quickly and so pulled a tripwire with it.


Ddasaccident150, Hd-Aid Sep 1997

Ddasaccident150, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The investigators determined that the victim investigated a signal and found part of the handle of a metal spoon. When checking the spot again, the detector signalled again and the deminer did not re-mark the signal properly because he thought the signal would be from the rest of the spoon. He prodded in a squatting position and initiated the mine with his bayonet – which was "destroyed".


Ddasaccident151, Hd-Aid Aug 1997

Ddasaccident151, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The investigators determined that the deminer located a tripwire and informed his superiors. Correct procedure required that the wire be pulled from a safe distance. The deminer pulled the wire from 30 metres while in a standing position.


Ddasaccident152, Hd-Aid Aug 1997

Ddasaccident152, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The investigators determined that the victim was clearing a breaching lane. He got a detector reading, marked it with a single stone, and began to prod in a squatting position. During prodding he initiated the mine. The victim was wearing a helmet and visor.


Ddasaccident153, Hd-Aid Aug 1997

Ddasaccident153, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The investigators decided that the victim had got a reading with his detector and investigated it but found nothing. He swept the area again and still got a reading, so without remarking the spot, he squatted to prod again [presumed to have been wearing his helmet and visor].


Ddasaccident154, Hd-Aid Aug 1997

Ddasaccident154, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The investigators decided that the two victims were assigned a breaching lane to clear. Victim No.1 was eager to finish investigating a signal when a rest period was announced, so hurried and used excessive force. Victim No.2: was not maintaining the safety distance required and was also injured.


Ddasaccident012, Hd-Aid Aug 1997

Ddasaccident012, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The victim had last attended a revision course seven months before and had last been on leave eight days before the accident. The accident occurred on ground described as soft agricultural land. A photograph showed the ground which appeared to be dust on top of compacted fine-silt.


Ddasaccident157, Hd-Aid Aug 1997

Ddasaccident157, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The investigators determined that the victim was working in a “small garden”. His detector registered a signal and he prodded and located a fragment. He checked the area with the detector and it signalled again, so he prodded the same area and the mine initiated. The deminer's helmet and bayonet prodder were "destroyed". A photograph showed that the visor has been torn from the helmet on one side.


Ddasaccident158, Hd-Aid Jul 1997

Ddasaccident158, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The investigators determined that the victim was clearing a portion of the minefield with bushes, grass and defensive wire. While he was searching for a tripwire with the feeler, the deminer set off a tripwire-controlled device with the feeler. He was not wearing a helmet and visor at the time.


Ddasaccident082, Hd-Aid Jul 1997

Ddasaccident082, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The investigators determined that the victim had checked the area with a detector then started to cut the grass and bush with a sickle. He stepped on a mine that he has missed at the end of his work on the previous day. The investigation was limited by bad security in the area and the investigators were unable to validate a claim that the Schiebel detector signalled constantly and so was unreliable.


Ddasaccident084, Hd-Aid Jul 1997

Ddasaccident084, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The investigators determined that the victim was clearing the side of a small stream when he got a detector signal and marked it, then prodded but could not find anything. He checked the reading but did not "remark" it and started to prod again. The mine detonated. The victim's visor shattered into many shards in the blast (as shown in a photograph). His bayonet had a bent blade and the handle had broken up.