Six paratroopers of Belgian nationality fell during a jumping exercise in Beja, on Wednesday night, having been transported to the hospital with injuries considered minor.
Has learned the Lidador News (LN), paratroopers who were injured participate in an international exercise taking place in Beja that involves 160 Military.
Following night jumps leaving the Air Base 11 (BA11), five soldiers were injured, having been given to the alert 23.33 hours of Wednesday, confirmed to LN the Subregional Emergency and Civil Protection Command of Baixo Alentejo. Parachutists fell at Herdade da Apariça, an agricultural property north of the BA11, in the neighborhood S. Maya.
The injured were transported inside the unit and then to Beja Hospital, five ambulances and ten Beja Firefighters were mobilized for operations, the Medical Car Emergency and Resuscitation (VMER) do Hospital de Beja e a GNR. An INEM helicopter was also activated but was never used..
Contacted by LN, the Beja Hospital reported that six paratroopers were admitted to that unit, Belgian nationality, aged 25 and 50 year old, what, After observation, they were already clinically discharged.
The LN also contacted the Air Force, which provided the following clarifications:
“Following the incident that occurred in the vicinity of Air Base No. 11 (BA11), in Beja, involving military personnel and aircraft from a detachment of the Belgian Air Force, the Air Force announces that it is providing all support and links between that detachment and national entities, wishing a speedy recovery to those involved.
It is further clarified that the incident occurred as part of an exercise that the Belgian Air Force is carrying out in Portugal. That exercise is the exclusive responsibility of the Belgian Air Force and does not involve any military or national means., with only one provision of facilities at BA11 to accommodate the military and air assets of that entity”.
Teixeira Correia
(journalist)
