NARATHIWAT ― A marines patrol had a narrow escape when a bomb buried in the road detonated just seconds before they were to cross over a bridge in Bacho district on Thursday.
Reports said a 20-kilogramme home-made bomb planted near the bridge was set-off remotely as six marines from the Narathiwat 32 special task force were about to cross it on three motorcycles around noon.
Two marines received minor injuries in the blast in moo 1 village, tambon Barae Nua, which left a hole about one metre in diametre and one metre deep in the road.
The injured men were identified as Petty Officer 1st Class Attawut Insawarng, 24, and Private Songwut Rattanahiran, 21. They were riding the first of three motorcycles in the group, and sustained minor shrapnel injuries as the bomb exploded around two metres away from them.
The patrol was heading back to their base to have lunch after escorting members of the Barae Nue Tambon Administration Organisation.
Petty Officer 1st Class Attawut, who led the team, said they were lucky because the bridge structure blocked most of the flying shrapnel.
Two marines on this motorcycle had a narrow escape when a bomb detonated seconds ahead of them as they approached a bridge in Bacho district of Narathiwat on Thursday. Photos by Waedao Harai
