Ministry of Defence reprimanded over SAS training deaths

The Ministry of Defence has been reprimanded over the death of a solider from Wiltshire, along with two others, on an SAS training exercise in the Brecon Beacons in 2013.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) says it will issue a Crown Censure following the tragedy on one of the hottest days of 2013. It's the highest level of public condemnation that can be issued. However the Ministry of Defence (MoD) will not face prosecution because it is a government body and therefore has crown immunity.

The HSE says its investigation found a failure to plan, assess, and manage risks associated with climatic illness during the training. These failings resulted in the deaths of the three men and heat illness suffered by 10 others on the march.

The MoD acknowledges this censure and has apologised for the failures identified: