Defence chief apologises over way bomb death handled

Flight Sergeant Andrew Bruce Forster. Photo / Supplied

The country's top military leader has publicly apologised to the family of an airman killed when an old artillery round unexpectedly exploded last year, saying not enough was done to explain the findings of a court of inquiry into his death.

Air force explosives expert Flight Sergeant Andrew Bruce Forster died at the Waiouru Military Camp last November when he was hammering a marker stake into the ground about half a metre from a rusty and unexploded 105mm Howitzer shell.

The shell exploded and he died instantly. Another sergeant who was standing close by escaped with minor injuries

The court of inquiry ruled that what caused the shell to explode may never be known.

However, it found F/S Forster failed to follow several standard procedures which may not necessarily have caused the accident but exposed personnel and equipment to avoidable risk.

Writing in the latest issue of Air Force News, chief of defence force, Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae said F/S Forster was an incredibly experienced explosives ordnance disposal operator with 18 years experience.

He had recently undertaken an operational deployment to Afghanistan and had served the Defence Force and his country loyally in a complex, demanding role that saw him regularly put himself in harm's way.

He said F/S Forster's family had recently shared with him their hurt and frustrations that some people had concluded he was to blame for the accident.

"I write this open and public message to restate that the Court of Inquiry did not reach a definitive conclusion as to the cause," he said.

"I believe the Defence Force could have done more at the time of the release of the Court of Inquiry explaining to interested parties the nature of the Court of Inquiry process, and what conclusions could and could not be drawn from the report.

"For this I have apologised to the Forster family, and assured them that the Defence Force will do better in the future," he said.

- NZPA