Soldier dies, two injured in road crash

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
A PAPUA New Guinea Defence Force soldier is dead and another two hospitalised with serious injuries following a road crash at Keltiga outside Mt Hagen on Sunday at about 5pm.
Western Highlands police commander Chief Insp Jacob Kamiak told The National that the soldiers had travelled into Mt Hagen for a military court case on Saturday and were returning to Hela on Sunday when the accident occurred.
Police investigations found that three vehicles had travelled for the case but only two left Mt Hagen early on Sunday. “The other vehicle remained in Mt Hagen for another couple of hours before leaving in the afternoon,” Chief Insp Kamiak said.
“As it was leaving the city, it collided with a 15-seater bus, with a Land Cruiser – rolling over.”
Acting Chief of the PNG Defence Force Commodore Philip Polewara confirmed the passing of Private Lembo Leonard, 27, from Pausa in Wapenamanda, Enga.
“Leonard died upon impact following a penetrative chest injury resulting in air leaking and bleeding into the lung cavity,” Polewara said.
“The soldiers are from the 1st Battalion Royal Pacific Islands Regiment’s Charlie Company.”
A defence force team that includes two medical personnel, a lawyer and other members of the joint operations branch will travel tomorrow to help police determined the cause of the accident.