Taiwan military exercises see shell spill and drone malfunction

During the Han Kuang military exercises in Taiwan, two separate technical incidents were reported.

In Miaoli County, a military truck transporting artillery shells rounded a sharp downhill curve too quickly, causing more than 20 8-inch howitzer shells to roll out of the vehicle and into a roadside ditch. The military confirmed that the shells were not fitted with fuzes, preventing any explosions. Authorities and police cordoned off the area, eventually using a civilian forklift to retrieve the heavy shells over a two-hour period.

Separately, during a Navy inspection attended by President Lai Ching-te, a medium-sized suicide drone experienced a mechanical failure. The drone's left rear stabilizer hinge detached during flight, leaving the component dangling from the wing. Despite the damage, the unmanned aerial vehicle continued to fly and completed its assigned mission. The Navy suggested the part may have snagged on a foreign object during takeoff.