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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

1998

Series

James Madison University

Angola

Articles 1 - 8 of 8

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Ddasaccident046, Hd-Aid Oct 1998

Ddasaccident046, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

On the day of the accident the deminers started work at 07:45. The victim was working without a partner [whose absence was unexplained]. After finding many pieces of metal, he ignored other detector signals, moved in front of his end-of-lane marker and knelt to remove the forks from a bicycle. He should have finished his "shift" at 08:15 but at 08:19 he was putting the scrap metal to one side when his heel activated a PPM-2 mine that was 40cm "behind" his end-of-lane marker. He suffered the "loss" of both lower limbs, received lacerations to both arms and was penetrated …


Ddasaccident047, Hd-Aid Sep 1998

Ddasaccident047, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The Technical Advisor heard the explosion and drove towards it. He saw the Survey Officer come out of the bush with the victim over on his shoulders. The victim had lost his left foot. The Technical Advisor administered first aid while the Survey Officer tried to make radio contact with the group's Kuito office. He did not succeed so used a Motorola Handheld radio to speak to another NGO's demining operation in Cunhinga. The team then drove towards Cunhinga and were met by a vehicle from the other group carrying their paramedic. Together with the paramedic the team drove to …


Ddasaccident048, Hd-Aid Sep 1998

Ddasaccident048, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

At 11:25 The victim initiated a PPM-2 mine and was blown backwards onto his detector. At 11:26 the victim was given first aid and was conscious. He had suffered "facial injury and lacerations to right hand". One minute later he was moved to the administration area where he was treated for "injuries to right hand, right knee" and his face was bandaged. The victim was evacuated by Land Rover at 11:40 and arrived at Huambo Hospital at 12:30. On arrival the escort was presented with a list of medical supplies to buy.


Ddasaccident051, Hd-Aid Aug 1998

Ddasaccident051, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

At 07:30, [or 08:15 elsewhere] having only cleared a meter, the victim noticed that the marking stakes ahead of him were out of alignment so went into the adjoining exploratory lane to reposition them. He pushed a stake onto a mine that was on the border of the lane. He suffered light injuries on both arms. A quantity of earth was thrown up into his eyes, the skin of his face was lacerated and his right hand became inflamed. He was not wearing a visor. No one else was injured.


Ddasaccident049, Hd-Aid Jul 1998

Ddasaccident049, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The report recorded that the victim "accidentally detonated an anti-tank mine while preparing for the testing of the newly purchased Hydrema mine clearance machines". The victim was "deploying and arming" mines in a marked test ground and wore a "ballistic jacket and visor". He worked alone arming the mines at a distance of 300 metres from the nearest person (a medic). It is not recorded whether this mine was the first to be armed. He stood and looked down at the mine for 20 seconds, then knelt beside it for a second time. 25-30 seconds later the mine detonated. "It …


Ddasaccident050, Hd-Aid Jul 1998

Ddasaccident050, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The victim said that he had cleared a 30cm section ahead of him and then moved the end-of-lane marker. He suddenly felt dizzy and accidentally put his hand into an uncleared area. The next thing he knew he was being attended by paramedics in the rest area. The victim also mentioned he had seen the tripwire "and had been picking up the pieces left" from former clearance. [An accompanying sketch map showed that another mine had been removed close to the accident site. It is possible that the victim notified his superiors of a tripwire and was told that it …


Ddasaccident115, Hd-Aid Jul 1998

Ddasaccident115, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

A preliminary accident report from the demining group simply recorded that "while prodding he was injured due to a PMN mine explosion". The victim suffered an amputated thumb with other severe hand injuries, also minor arm, legs, chest, and face injuries.


Ddasaccident052, Hd-Aid Feb 1998

Ddasaccident052, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

At 12:40 the victim was kneeling behind his base stick and demining in a heavily overgrown area. While cutting grass in front of his base stick he noticed some smoke ahead of him. He stood up to run and was only a metre away when something detonated behind him.