MoD SAS death apology 'two years too late'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-33588593

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The family of a Conwy man who died on an SAS selection march in 2013 have said a Ministry of Defence apology is "two years too late".

Army reservist L/Cpl Craig Roberts, 24, died along with L/Cpl Edward Maher and Cpl James Dunsby on a Brecon Beacons march on one of 2013's hottest days.

An inquest found neglect led to the three deaths.

The Army has said it accepted it did not carefully manage the risks involved in the exercise.

In a statement to the Daily Post, L/Cpl Roberts' parents Kelvin and Margaret and his sister Elizabeth said: "It has been a long two years since we lost Craig, yet it was only this week that we received an apology from the MoD for their failings.

"Considering that they had conducted their own investigation long before the inquest and that they made changes to the safety aspect of test week soon after the deaths, ensuring that their own rules were adhered to, we feel this apology was two years too late."

The family said the tests were designed to test navigation and endurance, which they accepted, but the 37 reservists taking part had not been trained or acclimatised to heat, as this came later in the selection process.

They said troops sent to hot climates were properly acclimatised before being set to work.

They also highlighted references made during the four-week inquest to heat illness guides and risk assessments, which MoD witnesses told the court they did not know about or had not read.

'Saddened and angry'

According to the family, L/Cpl Roberts had carried out risk assessments in the past and would have "expected all the safety measures would have been put in place" by those in charge on the day.

The statement added: "We are greatly saddened and angry that it was the MoD's failings that caused his death", and called for lessons to be learnt to prevent any more families having the same experience.

They described L/Cpl Roberts as a "wonderful, loving son, brother, grandson and nephew who brought us all so much joy and happiness".

The inquest in Solihull, West Midlands, concluded all three men suffered the effects of hyperthermia, or overheating. Coroner Louise Hunt said a failure to provide basic medical care had contributed to their deaths.

Had guidelines been followed, she added, the march would have been cancelled after two other men were withdrawn from the exercise shortly after midday, and the three victims would have survived.

L/Cpl Roberts, from Penrhyn Bay, and L/Cp Maher, 31, both collapsed and died on the Beacons on the day of the march. Cpl Dunsby was found collapsed near the finish of the march and died two weeks later in hospital.