Injured Red Lion parachutist expected to make full recovery, 'no surgery required'
SINGAPORE — Red Lions team member Third Warrant Officer (3WO) Jeffrey Heng, who suffered injuries after his bad landing at Singapore's 57th National Day Parade (NDP), is expected to make a full recovery with no surgery required, said Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday (10 August) night, Ng said Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant-General Melvyn Ong and Chief of Army Major-General David Neo had visited the injured soldier.
A photo of 3WO Heng lying down on a bed in hospital garb and wearing a "fall risk" tag was uploaded along with the post.
"He will need time and some rehab, but full recovery is expected," Ng said of 3WO Heng, who is in stable condition.
In a separate Facebook post on the same day, the Singapore Army said 3WO Heng is recovering well.
"Parachuting at The Float can sometimes be tricky, with strong crosswinds, gusty currents, and disruptive airflow," it added.
"Thankfully, 3WO (Heng) applied his training and adopted the Parachute Landing Fall upon the hard landing, and thus avoided major injuries," it said, thanking Singaporeans for the support.
3WO Heng was the final of the 10 Red Lions who landed on the floating platform during an early segment of Tuesday's parade at around 6.10pm.
He was seen skidding onto the ground instead of landing on his feet, losing his footing in the end and getting entangled in his parachute. He was shortly after carried off the platform on a stretcher by medics.
Televised images showed spectators looking on in concern, while the remaining parachutists lined up to take their bows after their landings.
An hour after the incident, Ng wrote on Facebook that 3WO Heng was stable, alert, and conscious.
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