A deadly incident unfolded during a scheduled military training exercise on the island of Rhodes, where a 19-year-old young soldier was killed in an explosion at a firing range.
A 39-year-old sergeant major was also critically injured in the blast, sending shockwaves through the Hellenic Armed Forces.
Young soldier dies in grenade training explosion on Rhodes
The explosion occurred shortly after 10 am during a planned grenade-handling exercise. According to reports, two explosives specialists were transporting equipment and live grenades as part of the routine training schedule. It was indicated early on that one of the grenades was accidentally activated, triggering the blast that proved fatal.
The young soldier died instantly at the scene. The senior non-commissioned officer, a father of two, sustained severe injuries, including the loss of part of his right arm and extensive shrapnel wounds across his body and head. He was immediately transported for emergency surgery as medical teams worked urgently to stabilize his condition.
Deep mourning across Greek Armed Forces
The tragedy has left the Greek military community in deep mourning. Authorities have launched a full investigation to determine how the deadly mistake occurred and whether safety procedures were adequately followed.
As the Armed Forces grieves the loss of a promising young serviceman, it also awaits critical updates on the recovery of the injured officer.