Brecon Beacons Deaths: Soldier Named 15.07.13
13The Ministry of Defence has named one of the Army reserve soldiers who died during a training exercise in the Brecon Beacons.
Lance Corporal Craig Roberts died alongside another TA soldier on Saturday. The families of both soldiers have been informed.
The two servicemen may have been taking part in the selection process for the Territorial Army's section of the SAS, according to reports.
Police and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) are continuing to investigate their deaths, while a third serviceman remains in a serious condition in hospital. The trio were part of a group training in the Brecon Beacons, some of Wales's most rugged terrain, when the mercury hit 29.5C (85.1F).
Soaring temperatures may have been to blame for their deaths, military sources said, and it is understood live ammunition was not involved in the incident.
The Brecon Beacons is one of several locations British military use as part of their training. Its rugged and sprawling terrain helps prepare soldiers physically and mentally for warfare as well as put their logistic skills to the test, making it an ideal area for elite forces personnel like the SAS.
News of the deaths was met with shock in the nearby town of Brecon, which is home to The Infantry Battle School.
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."
Members of all four of South Wales's mountain rescue teams were called out to assist when the two servicemen died. Thirty members of Central Beacons, Brecon, Western Beacons and Abergavenny-based Longtown Mountain Rescue Teams joined the operation near Pen y Fan, which is the highest mountain in South Wales.