This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk-news/2013/jul/14/two-servicemen-die-training-brecon-beacons

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Two servicemen die on training exercise in Brecon Beacons Two soldiers die on training exercise in Brecon Beacons
(35 minutes later)
Two military personnel have died during a training exercise, the Ministry of Defence has said. Two soldiers have died during a training exercise at the weekend in the Brecon Beacons on the hottest day of the year, the Ministry of Defence has said.
The servicemen were on a routine exercise on Saturday in the Brecon Beacons, and the incident is being investigated by Dyfed Powys police as well as the MoD. The servicemen, whose families have been informed, were on a routine exercise in the Brecon Beacons national park on Saturday. A third man is in a serious condition in hospital. The incident is now being investigated by Dyfed Powys police as well as the MoD, and an autopsy will follow.
A spokesman said: "The MoD can confirm that it is working with Dyfed Powys police to investigate an incident during a training exercise on the Brecon Beacons on Saturday in which two members of military personnel died. The deaths occurred on the hottest day of the year so far in Wales with temperatures reaching 30C (86F) in Powys. "The MoD can confirm that it is working with Dyfed-Powys police to investigate an incident during a training exercise on the Brecon Beacons on Saturday in which two members of military personnel died," said the MoD in a statement.
"The two servicemen's next of kin have been informed. More information will be released in due course but it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage. Any further inquiries should be referred to Dyfed Powys police." "The two servicemen's next of kin have been informed. More information will be released in due course but it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage."
Saturday was the hottest day of the year for many parts of the country, and temperatures in Usk in nearby Monmouthshire, south Wales, reached 29.2C (84.5F). News of the deaths has been met with shock in the nearby town of Brecon, which is home to the Infantry Battle School (IBS). The Brecon mayor and Powys county councillor Matthew Dorrance said: "It's incredibly sad for the friends and family of the people who have lost their lives and our thoughts are with the person who is injured. In one way we've been blessed with the weather but for people working in this heat, they're tough conditions."
A source said: "It is a case of the people succumbing to being affected by the training that they were doing." Dorrance said troops were regularly seen training in the area.
The military uses the Brecon Beacons for a wide range of exercises for various army personnel. "We're proud of our links with the military in the town," he added.
The Infantry Battle School (IBS) is based at Brecon and the tough, demanding landscape is used to put regular and special forces soldiers through their paces. The rough and remote terrain of the Brecon Beacons is used by the British military for a wide range of exercises for various army personnel. The IBS is based at Brecon and regular and special forces soldiers are regularly tested and trained on the unforgiving landscape. The infantry regiments of the British Army train at Sennybridge in the area, there is an army base in Brecon and the SAS has a base at nearby Hereford.
The army website says the Brecon Beacons are used because they are so demanding and prepare soldiers for the "extraordinary things" they have to do on deployment. According to the army website, the Brecon Beacons are used because they are demanding and prepare soldiers for the "extraordinary things" they will face once deployed.
The website says: "Training for high-intensity, light-role war fighting is the way soldiers and officers are prepared for any operational situation they may face – conventional war, counter insurgency, security sector reform, peacekeeping or supporting civil authorities. "Training for high-intensity, light-role war fighting is the way soldiers and officers are prepared for any operational situation they may face – conventional war, counter-insurgency, security sector reform, peacekeeping or supporting civil authorities," says the website.
"Training at IBS is delivered here by high-quality instructors with a wealth of operational experience, and rated in the top third of the infantry. "Training at IBS is delivered here by high-quality instructors with a wealth of operational experience, and rated in the top third of the infantry. This ensures that the training is as close to current operations and pre-deployment training as possible, whilst maintaining the ability to train for high-intensity war fighting. IBS delivers competent and confident commanders for the field army by running command and leadership training, infantry tactics training, weapons training, and live firing range qualifications. It also provides specialist training teams to assist foreign forces in their development, and allocates some places on courses for overseas students."
"This ensures that the training is as close to current operations and pre-deployment training as possible, whilst maintaining the ability to train for high-intensity war fighting. Earlier this year an army captain, Rob Carnegie, was found dead on the snow-covered Corn Du mountain. It was thought he was attempting a gruelling 17-40 mile march in freezing conditions in the Brecon Beacons as part of a selection process for the Special Air Service when he collapsed and died.
"IBS delivers competent and confident commanders for the field army by running command and leadership training, infantry tactics training, weapons training, and live firing-range qualifications. It also provides specialist training teams to assist foreign forces in their development, and allocates some places on courses for overseas students."
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe.Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox every weekday.Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox every weekday.