RATCHABURI: Two soldiers were killed and six others injured when an explosive detonated in the water beneath their inflatable boat during a drill at Burachat Camp in Muang district on Tuesday.
The explosion occurred at the Jarumanee training field inside the army camp in tambon Koh Plab Pla about 11am, local police said.
Eight soldiers, all engineers, were injured and rushed to local hospitals. Two of them were seriously hurt. Sgt Yutthapong Jankhonkaen and SM1 Pian Tarajaem were later pronounced dead.
The other injured soldiers were another sergeant, two sergeant-majors and three privates.
Col Sirichan Ngathong, deputy army spokeswoman, said the explosion occurred during a cross-water transport exercise, in preparation for a demonstration planned for a visiting delegation from the army's Engineers Department on Wednesday.
An underwater mine exploded prematurely as the soldiers' inflatable zodiac passed over it.
The incident is being further investigated.
