Bulgarian officials said a US citizen had been killed in a grenade launcher accident and four other persons had been wounded. In a statement, the US embassy in Sofia confirmed the death of one Department of Defence contractor and the injury of two contractors and a Bulgarian translator in a ‘training accident’ at the firing range of an ordnance plant near the city of Sopot in central Bulgaria. One American was killed on the spot and another US citizen was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. A third American and two Bulgarians were also taken to a hospital with less severe injuries, the ministry said. Over recent years there have been joint trainings and exercises, as well as increased joint utilisation of NSTA by units from Bulgarian Armed Forces and the US Army. See also : www.mod.bg/en/tema_SuvmestniVoenniSuorujenia.html