A US Army soldier has died while in Thailand for the annual Cobra Gold military exercises, according to a statement issued by the American embassy on Friday.
Maj Andrew Cotter was found unresponsive after a fall in a bathroom and later confirmed dead on Tuesday, the embassy said on Friday. A native of Kansas, Maj Cotter served as the operations officer for the 17th Field Artillery “Thunderbolt” Brigade, I Corps, stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state.
“We are saddened by the loss of Maj Cotter. The entire Thunderbolt family feels this loss deeply, and our thoughts, prayers and support are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time,” said Col Thomas Murphy, commander of the 17th Field Artillery Brigade.
No foul play is suspected, he said.
According to a source, Maj Cotter accidentally fell in a bathroom inside a military camp of the 31st Infantry Regiment in Lop Buri. Police officers went to the scene and found him inside the bathroom. A doctor at Ananda Mahidol Hospital in Lop Buri initially found a serious wound on his head.
Police gathered all evidence and also reported the death to the Immigration Bureau. The incident is under investigation.
In another incident, a South Korean soldier broke his right arm and right leg when he accidentally fell into a hole while training on Thung Prong Beach in Sattahip district of Chon Buri on Friday.
A field medical team rushed to the scene and provided first aid before flying him via a helicopter to a hospital. He is out of danger.
Cobra Gold 2023 is the largest international military exercise in mainland Asia. Co-hosted by Thailand and the United States, it has returned on a full scale this year as the Covid-19 pandemic has eased.
The two-week event featuring 30 countries comprising 7,394 personnel, with more than 6,000 US military personnel, will run until March 10.
