Singapore heartthrob Aloysius Pang dies during military training in New Zealand

Singaporean actor Aloysius Pang has died after sustaining serious injuries to his chest and abdomen during a compulsory military training exercise in New Zealand.

The accident occured on Saturday when Pang, 28, had been carrying out repair works inside a Singapore Self-Propelled Howitzer -- an artillery gun mounted on an armoured chassis -- with two other Singapore Armed Forces personnel at the Waiouru Training area.

He succumbed to injuries Wednesday after a series of stomach operations at the Waikato Hospital in Hamilton, where he was receiving treatment, the Defence Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday night.

He is an armament technician from the 268th Battalion Singapore Artillery.

"Unfortunately, Corporal First Class (National Service) Pang sustained injuries when the gun barrel was lowered," said the ministry.

He was on reservist duty as part of young Singaporeans commitment to be battle ready to serve in the armed forces under the compulsory National Service.

Pang was evacuated to Waikato Hospital, a regional trauma centre, where he underwent a number of operations, it said.

Tan Tock Seng Hospital's chief of trauma and acute care surgery Dr Teo Li Tserng was flown in from Singapore to assist the New Zealand medical team attending Pang.

"Despite surgical attempts to repair damaged organs and putting him on artificial life support, CFC (NS) Pang succumbed to injuries and passed away," said the ministry.

Pang started out as a child actor and starred in various TV shows and movies.

Over the years, he matured as an actor and was recently cast in the lead role of future Channel 8 drama My One in a Million.

He appeared in five shows: 'Xiao Fei Ren' (1999), 'Bukit Ho Swee' (2002), 'The Adventures of BBT' (2002) 'A Child's Hope' (2003-4) and 'I Love My Home' (2004).

'From Beijing To Moscow' is Pang's most recent show slated to air in June this year.