Soldier's death from natural causes: coroner

A New Zealand Defence Force officer criticised by comrades for deciding not to call an ambulance after a soldier's collapse has today had his actions cleared by a coroner. File photo

A New Zealand Defence Force officer criticised by comrades for deciding not to call an ambulance after a soldier's collapse has today (Tuesday) had his actions cleared by a coroner.

Papua New Guinea Corporal Keith Yaolase, 39, was on a six-month military engineering training deployment to Linton Military Camp when he collapsed during a pack march in February 2011.

Phillip Albert, who was the Warrant Officer in charge of the training exercise, decided to take Mr Yaolase directly to the Medical Treatment Centre (MTC) at Linton rather than calling for an ambulance.

He told a coronial inquest earlier this year, that he believed it would've taken an ambulance too long to reach them. "All I had was basic CPR... and I don't have a lot of faith in CPR," Mr Albert told the inquest.

"When someone stops breathing you need a defibrillation, airway and oxygen... I had none of that equipment. I was worried Corporal Yaolase was going to die on the side of the road."

Comrades did however perform emergency CPR and managed to resuscitate him.

But his condition deteriorated on the way back to camp.

He died at Palmerston North Hospital 11 days later, on February 28, 2011.

A post mortem found he died of lymphocytic myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart wall that resembles a heart attack.

Coroner Carla na Nagara, in her findings released today, concluded that the initial response by Mr Albert and the other soldiers on the scene was "nothing other than very good".

"I accordingly find that the fact Cpl Yaolase was taken to MTC was not determinative of the outcome in this case, and find that at all stages WSM Albert and the soldiers with him at the time of Cpl Yaolase's collapse acted appropriately," she said.

"I accordingly make no criticism whatsoever of WSM Albert or his actions, nor of the other soldiers involved..."
l 111 and not MTC.

During the inquest, Coroner na Nagara was assured by the Defence Force that measures have been taken to reduce "the chances of the occurrence of future deaths in similar circumstances".

To reduce delays for ambulances coming to the camp, better signage has been installed and new procedures at the gate mean that they'll know where they are going and how to get there.

Medical records of soldiers training at the camp will now be held at the MTC from the time of their arrival.

A Defence Force court of inquiry also made five recommendations following Mr Yaolase's death.

They included more comprehensive medical history systems, more regular emergency training activities by the medical centre, and reminders for military personnel in emergency situations to immediately call 111 and not MTC.