Soldier died from 'underlying heart condition', investigation finds

The sudden death of a soldier during an Army fitness test was an 'unforeseen tragedy' stemming from an underlying medical condition, an official report has concluded.

Corporal Josh Hoole, 26, of The Rifles, died in July last year in Brecon, Mid Wales, after collapsing while on pre-course training for the Platoon Sergeants' Battle Course.

An investigation into the incident concluded thecause of his death was because of a condition that affects the heart called sudden arrhythmogenic death syndrome (SADS).

A panel found Cpl Hoole himself would not have known of his susceptibility to SADS and that it was reasonable for the Army not to have known about the problem.

While it has made a number of recommendations for the future, it stressed none of the areas examined directly contributed to, or aggravated, the soldier's death.

Cpl Hoole, from Ecclefechan, near Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway, had been due to marry his fiancee this year.

Cpl Hoole collapsed at about 6.30am on July 19, 2016, when temperatures later peaked at just above 30C.

A Ministry of Defence inquiry into the death was carried out by the Defence Safety Authority.

The report has not revealed the exact cause of death but found it was 'within the definition of SADS'.