Soldiers died from 'overheating' during Brecon exercise

Three soldiers who died while on an SAS selection exercise in the Brecon Beacons died from 'overheating,' a pre-inquest hearing has been told.

Lance Corporal Craig Roberts, 24, from Penrhyn Bay, Lance Corporal Edward Maher, 31, and Corporal James Dunsby, 31, from Bath, died last summer. They had taken part in a 40-mile hike in temperatures reaching 29C on 13th July.

The Crown Prosecution Service is expected to discuss whether to pursue gross negligence manslaughter with the soldiers' families and a decision will be made by the end of the month.

Witnesses at the time reported seeing soldiers on training exercise in distress and pleading for water in the Welsh valleys. A pre-inquest hearing in Solihull this morning was told the three soldiers died from the effects of hyperthermia.

A third soldier who died following an SAS reservist training exercise in the Brecon Beacons suffered multiple organ failure, an inquest has heard.

Corporal James Dunsby died in hospital 17 days after collapsing on Pen Y Fan on 13th July. Lance Corporals Edward Maher and Craig Roberts also died in the incident.

The opening of an inquest into Cpl Dunsby's death at Aberdare Coroner's Court heard that the 31 year old was one of six soldiers to collapse on Pen Y Fan.

Coroner Louise Hunt said a post-mortem found his died of "multiple organ failure." The inquest was adjourned until September. A full inquest into the deaths of all three men will be held at a later date.

Tributes have been paid to 31-year-old Corporal James Dunsby, who died yesterday in hospital after falling ill during SAS selection training in the Brecon Beacons.

In a statement released through the Ministry of Defence, his family said he "adored the Army" and had the "most infectious enthusiasm for life".

Corporal Dunsby had been in a serious condition in hospital after falling ill during the exercise on July 13 - one of the hottest days of the year.

His death follows that of colleagues Edward John Maher and Lance Corporal Craig John Roberts.

A third army reserve soldier who died after taking part in SAS selection training in the Brecon Beacons has been named by the Ministry of Defence as Corporal James Dunsby.

Corporal Dunsby had been in a serious condition in hospital since falling ill during the training on July 13th.

The Ministry of Defence has announced that a third army reserve soldier injured during a training exercise on the Brecon Beacons earlier this month has died from his injuries.

The coroner looking into the deaths of two soldiers during a selection exercise in the Brecon Beacons will launch her own investigation. She told Brecon Coroner's court that she was covered under Article 2 of the Human Rights Act. She said the state had "a duty to protect an individual's life".

An inquest has heard that it's still not clear why two soldiers died on the Brecon Beacons earlier this month, on one of the hottest days of the year. The identity of one of them was only confirmed today by the Ministry of Defence. Rob Osborne reports from Brecon coroner's court.

Further tests will be carried out concerning the deaths of two soldiers during SAS selection training in the Brecon Beacons.

Edward John Maher and Lance Corporal Craig John Roberts collapsed on one of the hottest days of the year while climbing south Wales' highest mountain.

An inquest at Brecon Law Courts in Powys, mid Wales, gave the medical deaths of the pair as "unascertained".

Speaking at the brief hearing was Dyfed Powys Police Detective Inspector Ieuan Wyn Jones.

He said L/Cpl Roberts had been pronounced dead on the mountain at 5.15pm, while Mr Maher died at Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr almost three hours later.

"Post-mortems have been carried out and the causes of death are unascertained. Further investigations are being carried out," he said.

Mr Maher and L/Cpl Roberts were understood to be taking part in the aptitude training element of the course to become SAS reservists.

They were climbing Pen Y Fan, the highest mountain in southern Britain, on July 13.

L/Cpl Roberts, 24, of Penrhyn Bay, had served with the Territorial Army for around five years and is understood to have served in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Mr Maher was named as the second fatality by Ministry of Defence officials only this morning.

The second of two reservists who died during a selection exercise for the Territorial Army's SAS section at Brecon has been named.

Edward Maher died alongside Lance Corporal Craig Roberts after they collapsed in soaring temperatures while scaling Pen Y Fan in the Beacons on July 13.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said, "Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time.Investigations are being carried out by Powys police and the army. We cannot comment any further until these investigations are complete."

Inquests of both reservists are due to be opened and adjourned this afternoon by Powys coroner Louise Hunt.

Although the full facts of the case will not be heard, the hearing will see the issuing of interim death certificates - allowing the bereaved families to begin funeral preparations.

It is also anticipated that a brief medical cause of death will be read into the public record for both cases.

Sources have said that L/Cpl Roberts and his colleague died from heat exhaustion on July 13 as temperatures hit 29.5C (85.1F).

When news of the deaths broke, tributes poured in for former teaching assistant L/Cpl Roberts, of Penrhyn Bay, near Llandudno.

The 24-year-old had reportedly served with the TA for more than five years, including tours of Iraq and Afghanistan.

An inquest into the death of Lance Corporal Craig Roberts is expected to open and close later. The soldier died alongside another soldier during the selection process for the SAS section of the TA on the Brecon Beacons in hot weather two weeks ago.