Indian, British soldiers hurt in UK troop carrier pile-up

Twenty-one Indian military personnel and two British soldiers have been injured in a crash involving two troop carriers while they were returning from a joint Indo-UK counter-terrorism exercise in southwest England.Indian defence sources said the accident took place last evening when the troops of both countries were coming back after the day’s joint exercise being held from June 13-28.

“The troop carrier vehicles were being driven by British soldiers. They met with an accident on a by-way while returning from the Salisbury Plain. The injured were immediately evacuated by helicopters. A Captain and a Havaldar were seriously injured while rest got minor injuries,” the sources said.Meanwhile, the Indian Army in a statement said, “Two soldiers of the Indian Army sustained leg fractures and minor injuries were suffered by some other soldiers”.

At least two people were airlifted to hospital with life-threatening injuries in the incident at Salisbury Plain, a military training area owned by the UK Defence Ministry.“We can confirm that there has been a road traffic collision in the Salisbury Plain training area in which it is understood there are a number of casualties. The British Army is supporting Wiltshire Police and South West ambulance service with their response to the incident which will be duly investigated,” a British Army spokesperson said. PTI