British soldier killed in tank incident on Welsh firing range, says MoD

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A soldier from the Royal Tank Regiment has died and three others have been wounded after an incident at Castlemartin Ranges in Pembrokeshire, Wales, the Ministry of Defence said.

The soldier, who has not been named, was hurt on Wednesday afternoon in an area used for tank training exercises by the Royal Armoured Corps.

Defence minister Tobias Ellwood said he had died from his injuries but did not offer any further detail as to the nature of the incident.

“It is with deep sadness that I can confirm the death of a soldier from the Royal Tank Regiment who died as a result of injuries sustained in an incident at Castlemartin ranges. His next of kin were by his bedside," Mr Ellwood said.

A firing notice for Castlemartin on the Government's website suggested live firing had been due to take place on the range from Monday to Friday.

A notice said the road from Bosherston to St Govan's Chapel and the footpath from St Govan's Head to Broadhaven would be closed every day.

The notice added that night firing was due to take place on Tuesday and Thursday.

Castlemartin is the only UK Army range available for armoured units for direct-fire live gunnery exercises.

It comes five years after a 21-year-old soldier died at Castlemartin when he was shot in the head while relaxing at a safe location just outside the training range.

A 2013 inquest into the death of Michael “Mike” Maguire heard he was hit in the temple by a single bullet after live machine gun fire was wrongly directed inland towards the safe haven he was in.

The inquest jury ruled Ranger Maguire, who was a member of the 1st Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment, had been unlawfully killed.