Soldier shot during training at SAS facility in south Auckland
Tuesday, 21 May 2019
A soldier has been shot during a training activity at the SAS facility in south Auckland.
A St John Ambulance spokeswoman said it received notification of the incident on Petersons Rd, Ardmore at 3.15pm Tuesday.
An ambulance, two managers and a rapid response vehicle were treating one patient, she said.
The Defence Force said the soldier, from the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, had been taken to hospital.
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'The soldier is not a member of the New Zealand Special Operations Forces and the training activity was not part of the United States-New Zealand training exercise being held in the area,' the Defence Force said in a statement.
An investigation had been launched and the soldier's next of kin were being notified.
'The training activity has been suspended and NZDF cannot make any further comment until the investigation has been concluded.'
The incident comes just weeks after Lance Corporal Nicholas Kahotea, an SAS trooper, was injured during a training exercise at the site.
He was taken by helicopter to Auckland City Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Details of his injuries have not been released, but it is understood he fell from a helicopter.
His death is being investigated by police on behalf of the coroner.
The Defence Force will hold its own Court of Inquiry over his death.
A statement from the New Zealand Army said Kahotea would be remembered as 'a soldier, father, friend and proud New Zealander'.
The $46 million Battle Training Facility on Petersons Rd opened in 2016 and has a 360-degree live firing range.
The site also has a huge, reinforced concrete building with special features to simulate real-life battle situations.