Incident During Taiwan Military Han Kuang Exercise: Artillery Vehicle Crashes Into 4 Cars at Night

The Taiwan Ministry of National Defense launched a 10-day, 9-night "Han Kuang" military exercise. At around 11 p.m. on the 10th, during an army maneuver task, a M109A5 self-propelled howitzer from the Hsinchu 542 Brigade was travelling near Xinrong Road in Xinwu District, Taoyuan City. Reportedly, due to the driver's unfamiliarity with the local road conditions and miscalculation of the vehicle's width, the vehicle first hit a small truck parked by the roadside, then crashed into three other passenger cars, making a total of four vehicles involved. No injuries were reported at the scene.

The rear of the small truck at the scene was nearly crushed into scrap metal due to the severe impact. After hitting the small truck, the howitzer continued to push forward, hitting three other cars also parked by the roadside. In total, four vehicles were struck, suffering severe damage to their fronts and rears.

A breathalyzer test of the involved driver showed a blood alcohol level of 0. The detailed cause of the accident is still under investigation.

The Army's 6th Corps said the case is being handled by the police, and subsequent matters will be dealt with according to military vehicle insurance procedures. In addition, the 6th Corps will issue notifications to all affiliated units to strengthen alertness among officers and soldiers during the exercise period.