A Romanian military died and five were wounded Friday, September 21, when an amphibious armored carrier was damaged in mission in South of Iraq. The six military are from the 32nd Infantry Battalion Mircea from Timisoara, deployed in Iraq in August 2007.

Corporal Grosaru Ioan is the military who died on duty during this event. The five wounded military were transported by a MEDEVAC helicopter to the military hospital in Tallil. After that, the doctors decided NCO Nicola Danut, Senior Sergeant Barbu Ilie Adrian, Soldiers Popa Sorin Catalin and Iovi Marius Traian to be evacuated to a military hospital near Baghdad. Senior Sergeant Badea Gabriel remained in the hospital in Tallil base.

The amphibious armored carrier the second in a column performed the mission of patrol near Tallil base when it started to burn after the deflagration of an improvised explosive device.

Corporal Grosaru Ioan was in mission in Afghanistan in 2005, too and was decorated with NATO non.art.V medal. He was 35 and was unmarried.

The Defense Minister, Teodor Melescanu, and Chief of the General Staff, Admiral Gheorghe Marin express their regret for such a tragic accident and bring their condolences the Corporal Ilie Grosaru's family.

MoD Press Office