Singapore heartthrob Aloysius Pang has died after sustaining serious injuries during an artillery gun accident in a military training exercise in New Zealand.
Pang, 28, succumbed to injuries after a series of stomach operations at the Waikato Hospital in Hamilton, where he was receiving treatment, the Defence Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday night.
He had been carrying out repair works inside a Singapore Self-Propelled Howitzer -- an artillery gun mounted on an armoured chassis -- with two other SAF personnel when the accident happened at the Waiouru Training area last Saturday.
"Unfortunately, Corporal First Class (National Service) Pang sustained injuries when the gun barrel was lowered," said the ministry.
He was on reservist duty as part of young Singaporeans commitment to be battle ready to serve in the armed forces under the compulsory National Service.
Pang was evacuated to Waikato Hospital, a regional trauma centre, where he underwent a number of operations, it said.
Tan Tock Seng Hospital's chief of trauma and acute care surgery Dr Teo Li Tserng was flown in from Singapore to assist the New Zealand medical team attending Pang.
"Despite surgical attempts to repair damaged organs and putting him on artificial life support, CFC (NS) Pang succumbed to injuries and passed away," said the ministry.
The actor grew up with local television media group, Mediacorp, starting his career as a child actor in television dramas in 1999.
Pang was named one of the "8 Dukes of Caldecott Hill (the venue of television stations)" in 2014, awarded Best Newcomer at the Star Awards 2015 and became one of the Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes at the Star Awards 2016.
Over the years, he matured as an actor and was recently cast in the lead role of future Channel 8 drama My One in a Million. The role will be recast, said Mediacorp.
