NSF Dies in Pasir Laba Camp; Death Not Training Related

A full-time Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) national serviceman (NSF) was found unconscious in Pasir Laba camp and was subsequently pronounced dead at the hospital.

Here’s what you need to know about it.

NSF Found Unconscious in Pasir Laba Camp; Pronounced Dead in Hospital

On Friday (27 September), an NSF was found unconscious and unresponsive in Pasir Laba camp, home to the Specialist and Warrant Officer Institute, in the evening. He was found next to a bed.

The SAF Ambulance Service was subsequently activated to evacuate the unconscious NSF to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital. The hospital, which is located in the heart of Jurong East, is approximately 10km away from the camp.

However, despite resuscitation efforts en route to the hospital, the NSF was eventually pronounced dead at the hospital.

NSF’s Death Was Not Training-Related; Case Classified as an Unnatural Death

While there is scant information about the NSF’s age or the circumstances of the mysterious death, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Singapore Police Force (SPF) have shared some further details.

For one, the death was not training-related, according to MINDEF. The police also do not suspect foul play based on their preliminary investigations.

However, the case has been classified as an unnatural death, and investigations into the incident are ongoing.

“The Ministry of Defence and the SAF extend our deepest condolences to the family of the late serviceman, and are assisting the family in their time of grief,” MINDEF and SPF added.

Not the First Case of an Unnatural Death in the SAF

Unfortunately, this is far from the first case of an unnatural death that we’ve seen in the SAF.

Just last year in June 2023, an SAF regular serviceman was found dead at the Changi Naval Base. His body was found in the morning.

While police also did not suspect foul play in the Changi Navel Base case, they had also classified the case as an unnatural death.

Further back in August 2021, a 47-year-old SAF regular serviceman was found hanging from a rope at the rooftop of a Gombak multi-storey carpark. The serviceman was pronounced dead on site.

In that case, while the SPF also did not suspect foul play, it was also classified as an unnatural death.

And even earlier in July 2018, many Singaporeans were similarly shocked by the news of an SAF regular serviceman found hanging from a rope in his bunk in Nee Soon Camp. The serviceman was also pronounced dead on site.

We can only wait and see what investigations reveal about the Pasir Laba case.