HEAVY METAL CRASH: A Dozen German Troops Injured In Military Vehicle Crash

A routine military exercise has left around a dozen German troops injured, one of them seriously, when two advanced infantry fighting vehicles crashed at high speed.

Image shows a Puma infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), undated photo. A dozen German troops were severely injured after two Puma infantry fighting vehicles crashed during an exercise in a military training area in eastern Germany, on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2023. (Newsflash)

Germany’s Bundeswehr revealed that the incident happened when two Puma infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) collided in the Army Combat Training Centre (GUeZ), located in the Colbitz-Letzlinger Heid area, in the regions of Altmark and Elbe-Boerde-Heide, in Saxony Anhalt, Germany, around 11.30am on Wednesday, 1st February.

The 12 injured soldiers, who were inside the IFVs, were reportedly taking part in a military exercise in the Colbitz-Letzlinger Heid area, in Germany’s Saxony-Anhalt state, when the crash occurred.

Reports stated that the two 9th Panzerlehr Brigade IFVs, which are reportedly the world’s best-protected, crashed at high speed.

A Bundeswehr captain told German media: “It happened during a routine exercise. Fortunately, the seriously injured soldier is not in mortal danger.”

The Bundeswehr said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: “After the accident, first aid measures were taken immediately and the rescue chain was activated.

“Rescue workers were on site within a short time, including a rescue helicopter, which took the seriously injured man to a regional hospital.”

All other soldiers involved in the accident were reportedly treated on-site for minor injuries.

Bundeswehr spokesperson Florian-Marcus Kruth said: “As things currently stand, we assume that all of the injured are well and recovering from the accident.”

Image shows a Puma infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), undated photo. A dozen German troops were severely injured after two Puma infantry fighting vehicles crashed during an exercise in a military training area in eastern Germany, on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2023. (Newsflash)

Free Democratic Party politician and Bundestag member Marcus Faber, 38, said: “For me, the accident in Altmark is a drama.

“I wish all those injured a speedy and full recovery. I hope that we can quickly work through what happened.”

The military police, who were also called upon, have initiated an investigation to determine the causes of the accident.

Military expert Thomas Wiegold, 63, said: “So far, we can only speculate about the cause of the accident.

“Armoured fighting vehicles move very quickly. Both forwards and backwards. And, of course, the driver’s view is partially restricted.

“A collision can happen, especially under battle conditions.”