Chinese Soldiers Almost Blown Away During Botched Grenade Practice

Two Chinese soldiers are just happy to be alive this Christmas after a very near miss on the grenade practice range.

The video, uploaded to youtube this week, shows what started as a standard grenade training exercise. Standing in a specially designed pit, the instructor and trainee prepare to toss a hand grenade over a wall. It is unclear from the video, but  the trainee is likely throwing either a Chinese Type S 82-2 or 86-P fragmentation grenade.

Below you can see the two Chinese soldiers take their places for the drill:

The instructor appears to steady the recruit, and give him some last minute advice on proper techniques and procedures. As you will see shortly, it was not enough.

The trainee leans back, cocks his arm, and get ready to put some mustard behind the throw.

Unfortunately, he hurls a fastball directly into the dirt berm just above the sandbags, and a moment of panic ensues as the two Chinese soldiers scramble for cover.

The instructor rolls into the trench opposite the live grenade, but has to grab the trainee and pull him down alongside him seconds before the fuse ignites and sends shrapnel in all directions.

Boom! The grenade goes off on the other side of the trench, but neither soldier is injured. They crawl out just as the smoke starts to clear. The trainee may try to work on his aim next time, though.

The video gives you the full effect, and you can watch it here, courtesy of youtube:

(h/t mediaite)