The Military Police initiated an investigation into the collapse of a crane in the compound of the 188th Brigade in the buffer zone in the Gaza Strip last week.
The fatal incident claimed the lives of two Golani soldiers, Sergeant First Class (res.) Nadav Cohen, 21, from Moshav Beit Hanan, and Staff Sergeant Nachman Refael Ben Ami, 20, from Eilat.
The Military Police are investigating the testimony of one of the soldiers who approached an officer several hours before the disaster and warned him that, because of the stormy weather, the ground in the area of the crane was sinking and unstable.
The IDF said in response: "The incident is under investigation, and when concluded, will be presented with full transparency to the families of the fallen and wounded soldiers. In addition, the Military Police opened an investigation following the serious incident."
The initial investigation revealed that around midnight on Wednesday night, a report was received that strong winds knocked the crane, which had not been folded, into the protective shield secured by the soldiers in the buffer zone in the northern Gaza Strip.