Aloysius Pang Dies After Succumbing To Injuries From SAF Training Accident In New Zealand

Gone too soon.

An official statement released by MINDEF on Wednesday, 23 Jan, confirmed that 28-year-old Aloysius Pang had passed away after succumbing to his injuries from a SAF training exercise in New Zealand.

Here's the full statement released by MINDEF:

Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Operationally Ready National Serviceman, Corporal First Class (National Service) [CFC (NS)] Pang Wei Chong, Aloysius passed away at 2045hrs on 23 January 2019 (SG time) at Waikato Hospital, New Zealand.

An Armament Technician from the 268th Battalion Singapore Artillery, CFC (NS) Pang was carrying out repair works inside the Singapore Self-Propelled Howitzer (SSPH) with two other SAF personnel on 19 January 2019 at Waiouru Training Area, New Zealand.

Unfortunately, CFC Pang sustained injuries when the gun barrel was lowered. He was evacuated to Waikato Hospital, a regional trauma centre where he underwent a number of surgeries to treat his injuries. Dr Teo Li Tserng, Chief of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, was flown in to assist the New Zealand medical team tending to CFC (NS) Pang. Despite surgical attempts to repair damaged organs putting him on artificial life support, CFC (NS) Pang succumbed to the injuries and passed away.

An independent Committee of Inquiry will be convened to investigate the circumstances leading to the incident. A press conference will be held on 24 January 2019 to present the preliminary findings  and will be chaired by the Chief of Defence Force.

The SAF will be making arrangements to bring the body of the late CFC (NS) Pang back to Singapore.

The Ministry of Defence and the SAF extend their deepest condolences to the family of CFC (NS) Pang and will continue to render assistance and support in their time of loss.

Injured while repairing the Singapore Self-Propelled Howitzer (SSPH)

According to MINDEF, Aloysius was carrying out repair works inside the SSPH with two other SAF personnel when the gun barrel was lowered, injuring his chest and abdomen.

Though he had undergone several surgeries, surgical attempts to repair his damaged organs were futile. He was later put on artificial life support before succumbing to his injuries at 8.45pm on 23 January 2019.

In a public post on Aloysius's Instagram written by his family, the Pangs wrote:

Throughout the past few days in the hospital, it has been a difficult time for us. Every news that were brought upon us since his last op was devastating with little signs of hope on his recovery. We all broke down when the medical team spoke to us that his condition is worsening and we should be prepared for the worst. We're going to lose a brother. And my parents are going to lose their precious son whom is only 28. Thus I seek everybody's kind understanding that we are unable to comment further during these precarious time.

Jayley Woo Jia Qi, Aloysius's celebrity girlfriend whom he had always kept a 'low profile' relationship with, has also taken to Instagram to express her grief.

Her goodbye message to Aloysius goes like this:

To the person I love most,

While 24 August is your birthday, 4 January is a special day for us.
But on 24 January, you actually left me without any words or explanation.

What's left is your cold, icy hand.

What kind of coincidence is it that '4' is my favourite number?
How can you leave me just like that?
Why did you decide to leave this world?
Why must you do this to me?

I don't have the good fortune of becoming your wife this lifetime
But promise me that we have to be together in our next

I love you and I really, really love you
Thank you for taking care of me all these years
I will always love you so please rest in peace and come to me in my dreams

Though I will never forgive you, you'll always be a part of me, my man.

See you in our next lifetime. Till death do us part baby boy.

Tonight, the nation mourns. Our thoughts and sincerest condolences go out to Aloysius's family and his loved ones in this difficult time and we can only hope that time will ease their pain.

As Aloysius once shared in an Instagram post, "That's the unpredictability of life I guess. Treasure your loved ones before it's too late. It's time to stop procrastinating love." So let's cherish our loved ones, hug them close and make every moment with them count while we can. Rest in peace, Aloysius.

Text by: GirlStyle SG