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12 March 2007
BRUSSELS – Faulty brakes on a steep incline caused the accident in southern Lebanon which killed three Belgian UN peace-keepers last week. Their armoured vehicle accelerated dangerously on an incline and sped off the road into a ravine.
The Pandur armoured vehicles have motorised brakes and emergency brake pedals. Both braking systems failed in the vehicle that crashed because of overheating, an initial technical investigation by the army revealed.
A spokesperson for the army, Ingrid Baeck, says that the drivers may not have adjusted their driving to the mountainous environment, and been using the emergency brake pedal too often, instead of the motorised brake. This could cause faster wear and tear on the brakes.
“The Pandurs were maintained properly, but we are going to step up the frequency of the checks. And drivers will be given special training.”
Further investigation revealed that the braking systems in other Pandurs also show more wear and tear than is normal. They will all be replaced.
[Copyright Expatica News 2007]
Subject: Belgian news