Eight Killed in Rheinmetall-Denel’s South African Plant Explosion
Eight people were killed Monday in an explosion at a Rheinmetall-Denel munitions factory near Cape Town in South Africa.
The blast was reported by local residents near the Rheinmetall-Denel plant in Somerset West when it erupted at 3:45 pm local time.
"Eight persons were confirmed as fatalities and the fire department is assisting the search and rescue operations," J.P. Smith, Cape Town council's safety chief, told news agency AFP.
"An explosion occurred at one of the buildings of Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM). At this stage we are unable to confirm if there are any injuries or fatalities," the company said in a statement adding that the cause of the incident was under investigation.
The joint German-South Africa company makes munitions for the South African military and police and international clients. RDM is 51 percent owned by Rheinmetall Defence in Germany and 49 percent by South Africa's Denel.
Denel, TKMS Collaborate To Support South African Frigates, Submarines
Rheinmetall To Modernize Polish 128 Leopard 2 MBTs For 200 Million Euro
Denel To Test Marlin Missile System In September
Denel Dynamics Upgrading Umkhonto Missile Range
South Korean K2 Tanks Deployed Near Poland's Border with Russia
Rostec Develops Car-mounted FPV Drone Suppression Device
Lockheed's PAC-3 Missile Production Grows by 30% in 2024, With 20% Expansion
German Bundestag Approves Additional Meteor Missiles, New Eurofighter Helmet System
Russian Su-57 and Chinese J-20 as Alternatives to the American F-35 Stealth Fighter
As the Russian Su-57 stealth fighter jet enters serial production, the debate over how it stacks up against the American...
NATO’s Intensified Exercises a Prep to Attack Russia?
Recent NATO exercises such as the BALTOPS-24, Steadfast Defender 2024 and its first-ever Basic Fighter Maneuvers exercise have been its...
Precision in the Skies: The Evolution of Loitering Munitions
Loitering munitions - drones that hover over a target and blow up near it - have become the weapon of...
Is the Patriot Air Defense System Outdated?
After Israel revealed its decision to decommission its U
Russia's Growing Influence in Africa: Arms Sales and Military Bases
Russia's expanding influence in Africa, demonstrated by arms sales, military deployments, and diplomatic engagements, reflects a significant geopolitical shift on...