Warsaw [Poland], September 10: Several Polish soldiers were blown off the landing site by the wind, some with their parachutes caught in power lines, during a military exercise on September 9.
Paratroopers from Poland 's 2nd Reconnaissance Regiment based in the southeastern town of Hrubieszow were taking part in a planned parachute exercise on September 9. However, the wind suddenly changed direction, leaving the soldiers unable to react and blown away from the landing area, according to RT.
As a result, at least 12 soldiers landed hundreds of meters away from the target area, damaging crops. One soldier fell and damaged the roof of a house in the village of Chechlo, while another landed close to a power line and got his parachute caught in the wire.
No one was seriously injured, except for one person with a knee injury who was taken to a medical facility for treatment.
Polish officials have confirmed that there was no serious incident and that this was an isolated incident. Measures have been taken to prevent similar incidents in the future. A commission investigating air accidents and the Polish military has launched an investigation into the incident.
'It is unclear whether the activity in Poland is part of NATOs ongoing Swift Response exercise . NATO previously released a video claiming the exercise was the largest air campaign since World War II, with many member states practicing their ability to deploy troops behind enemy lines.
"Air operations require precise timing and impeccable skill from pilots and paratroopers . Due to the inherent difficulty of these missions, regular training is necessary to maintain skills," NATO said in a statement.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper