ATLANTA —
Channel 2 Action News has confirmed
the U .S . Army is testing a big batch of
bottled water made by Coca -Cola to see
if it made soldiers in Afghanistan sick.
Investigative reporter Aaron Diamant
went to the Coca- Cola headquarters in
downtown Atlanta where the company
has launched its own investigation.
Coca- Cola leaders launched that
investigation once Channel 2 brought
the story to their attention.
After getting a tip from a sick soldier
overseas , Diamant spent the day on the
phone with military leaders in
Washington and in Afghanistan.
Diamant said he spent a lot of time
Friday texting back and forth with a
U .S . soldier stationed at Bagram
Airfield in Afghanistan fighting an
unexpected battle.
"About 75 percent of our company has
been sick and I’ m sure it has affected
others, " he wrote . " Some had fevers,
explosive diarrhea , " he said .
The soldier is part of the Pennsylvania
National Guard’ s 252nd engineering
company that shipped out last spring.
"We just found out it could potentially
be the water we 've been drinking two
days ago with signs being posted on
base, " he said .
The soldier sent Diamant a picture of
one of those signs warning soldiers :
"Do not drink bottled ' Kinley' water! It
has been placed on medical hold until
further notice ."
Kinley is one brand of bottled water on
the base and is produced by Coca - Cola
Company at facilities overseas .
Diamant found YouTube video shows a
one of Kinley's high tech bottling plants
in India .
Friday afternoon, a high -ranking
official with NATO’s international
security assistance force sent an email
saying, “As a precautionary measure ,
the U .S . Army preventive medicine
recommended setting aside a specific
lot of bottled water that is distributed
in some areas of Afghanistan until
further testing is completed. At this
time, there is no evidence of water-
borne illnesses . " Coca-Cola water tested after soldiers become sick | www.wsbtv.com
Channel 2 Action News has confirmed
the U .S . Army is testing a big batch of
bottled water made by Coca -Cola to see
if it made soldiers in Afghanistan sick.
Investigative reporter Aaron Diamant
went to the Coca- Cola headquarters in
downtown Atlanta where the company
has launched its own investigation.
Coca- Cola leaders launched that
investigation once Channel 2 brought
the story to their attention.
After getting a tip from a sick soldier
overseas , Diamant spent the day on the
phone with military leaders in
Washington and in Afghanistan.
Diamant said he spent a lot of time
Friday texting back and forth with a
U .S . soldier stationed at Bagram
Airfield in Afghanistan fighting an
unexpected battle.
"About 75 percent of our company has
been sick and I’ m sure it has affected
others, " he wrote . " Some had fevers,
explosive diarrhea , " he said .
The soldier is part of the Pennsylvania
National Guard’ s 252nd engineering
company that shipped out last spring.
"We just found out it could potentially
be the water we 've been drinking two
days ago with signs being posted on
base, " he said .
The soldier sent Diamant a picture of
one of those signs warning soldiers :
"Do not drink bottled ' Kinley' water! It
has been placed on medical hold until
further notice ."
Kinley is one brand of bottled water on
the base and is produced by Coca - Cola
Company at facilities overseas .
Diamant found YouTube video shows a
one of Kinley's high tech bottling plants
in India .
Friday afternoon, a high -ranking
official with NATO’s international
security assistance force sent an email
saying, “As a precautionary measure ,
the U .S . Army preventive medicine
recommended setting aside a specific
lot of bottled water that is distributed
in some areas of Afghanistan until
further testing is completed. At this
time, there is no evidence of water-
borne illnesses . " Coca-Cola water tested after soldiers become sick | www.wsbtv.com
