A Canadian soldier was killed and three others injured in a training accident at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in eastern Alberta Tuesday.
Sgt. Robert “Bobby” J. Dynerowicz, from the Royal Canadian Dragoons, based at CFB Petawawa in Ontario, died when a light-armoured vehicle called a LAV III rolled over during the military’s annual exercise codenamed Rugged Bear.
The three injured soldiers have not been identified but have been taken to hospital for medical treatment. Military police are investigating the accident, officials said.
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan expressed his condolences over Dynerowicz’s death.
“I was extremely saddened to learn of the loss of Sergeant Robert J. Dynerowicz as part of his training during Exercise Rugged Bear,” Sajjan said in a statement. “When a member of the Canadian Armed Forces family passes away while preparing to defend Canada, the whole country mourns.”
The accident happened about 10 a.m. ET while the troops were participating in a live-fire training exercise involving 3,000 soldiers as part of the army’s Road to High Readiness training program.
Rugged Bear began on April 15 and continues until Thursday.
It’s not the first time a soldier has died during a training accident at the base involving a LAV III.
In May 2014, Lt.-Col. Dan Bobbitt was killed at the base when the light armoured vehicle he was in rolled over during training manoeuvres. Four other soldiers were hurt in the same accident.
The vehicle has a history of rollovers, and when it was used in Afghanistan it resulted in at least five deaths.
With files from CBC News
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