At least two Iranian civilians were killed and 13 wounded when anti-aircraft manoeuvres went wrong near a nuclear power plant being built in southern Iran. Officials said the incident occurred when anti-aircraft cannon shells fired into the air during a drill failed to explode in the air as planned.
Instead, the shells plunged back to earth, exploding on impact with a minibus and a residential area.
The incident occurred in Bushehr, during a drill at a military airbase situated adjacent to the site where the Iran's first nuclear power station is currently under construction.
Asghar Zareii, an official in the public relations office of Bushehr's governor-general told a foreign news agency on Monday two people were killed and 13 were injured. "But there are reports that the number of dead could be as high as seven," Zareii said. Zareii said one of the dead was decapitated.
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
