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Ddasaccident033, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident033, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
The demining platoon had "cleared 5,1602 metres and eight mines at Homoine before the accident". The mines were laid in a narrow belt but not in a pattern. The mines found before were PMN, PMN-2, PMD6 and POMZ2M. The victim was in a crouching position with his arm outstretched (holding a trowel) when he initiated a PMN with his right foot. He was not using his detector (which was 12 metres away). He was taken to hospital at 09:35 and arrived at 10:05. A blood shortage meant that other deminers had to donate three litres of blood.
Ddasaccident036, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident036, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
At 09:25 the victim was clearing a lane using a combination of detector and excavation (with a "digging trowel"). While in a kneeling position he reached out to dig at the edge of the lane and initiated a PMN. He suffered traumatic amputation of his right arm "at the elbow" and lacerations to his face, right leg, and left arm. He walked to a safe lane where paramedics gave first aid. He was then driven to Sabie and taken by air to Maputo Central Hospital, leaving at 10:17 and arriving at 11:02.
Ddasaccident039, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident039, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
At 09:15 Victim No.1 was injured by stepping on a mine "in a recently cleared area while engaged in clearance duties….". Victim No.2 was also injured. "Both men were wearing protective clothing – cotton overalls, leather boots and protective eye glasses" [sic]. The men were treated on site and evacuated at 11:24 by air to Maputo airport. (The requested plane landed in the wrong place and lost radio contact: a second plane had to be sent.)
Ddasaccident040, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident040, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
On the day of the accident the demining group's ex-pat country Manager went in to investigate the accident of the previous day (7th March 1995) and confirmed that the mine involved had been a PMN. He found parts of the device that he thought indicated that there had been two mines, but those parts were lost during subsequent events. When he went into the area a second time he spent ten minutes examining the area, then called out for people to gather together for a briefing. Immediately thereafter he was seriously injured by an explosion [no reason why he went …
Ddasaccident003, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident003, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
At approximately 11:20 the victim discovered a mine. This was his third that day and the first day that he had found any at that site. Instead of informing his Section Leader as he was required to do, he investigated it on his own. "For some reason the mine (or perhaps mines) detonated leaving him very seriously injured". [See Medical report.]The victim was casevaced by helicopter to Quelimane hospital arriving one hour after the accident occurred. He died at 16:30 that day. The death certificate gave "haemorrhage" as the cause of death. The helicopter was deemed fortuitous, and some suggestions …
Ddasaccident041, Hd-Aid
Ddasaccident041, Hd-Aid
Global CWD Repository
The Deputy Country Director was interviewed by the researcher on 18th November 1998 and later send a one page summary of the accident and two others (dated 01/11/95). He said that the victim had initiated a PMN mine at approximately 12:45 whilst prodding with his three-pronged fork. At the time an internal investigation [not made available] concluded that he had not used his detector in that area prior to the accident, which was against instructions from his supervisors. “If he had been using the detector the accident would probably have been avoided.”