A Royal Marine trainee has collapsed and died on Dartmoor during an exercise known in military circles as the "30-miler".
The man, who has not been named, was based at the Commando Training Centre at Lympstone, Devon. According to a spokesman for the Ministry of Defence his cause of death was unknown.He said: "This incident is being investigated and the thoughts and sympathies of the Naval Service are with the family and friends of this man."
The man died during a 30-mile march that comes as the "last major test" of the 32-week long Commando training course, the Daily Telegraph reports. Trainees have to complete the march within eight hours and carry a minimum on 32lbs (15kg) of equipment throughout the test.
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This is not the first time a serviceman has died while training. In 2013, three men died during an SAS training exercise that was held on one of the hottest days of the year. Army reservists Edward Maher, Craig Roberts and James Dunsby collapsed during a gruelling test in the Brecon Beacons in Wales, Yahoo news reports.At the time, Colonel Richard Kemp, a former infantry commander, told the BBC that the determination of troops to be accepted into the armed services could "sometimes cloud your judgement". However, the cause of the Royal Marine trainee's death remains unknown and may not have been related to the exercise.
The MoD said it was withholding the name of the man at the request of his family.
