Coroner: Marine accidentally drowned during arduous training for elite unit

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “At the time of his death, Ben had recently become a member of an elite unit,” Sir Ernest said. We do not grieve as those who have no hope because we will see Ben again and his live and death have not been wasted.” In an additional narrative conclusion, Sir Ernest said: “Ben’s unit collectively took diver safety seriously and conscientiously.” But he said his death was “contributed to” by factors including “not topping up breathable gas levels between the two dives” and “the lack of a training requirement for all signals to be acknowledged”. “I am reassured that action has been taken in Ben’s former unit such that this should not recur in relation to the relevant diving training, but I have a concern as to whether this has been shared more widely amongst other military units.” Sir Ernest also wants defibrillators to be available when “particular kinds of diving training are being carried out”. He said he has seen “detailed evidence from the MoD on the changes made to the relevant aspects of military diving training since Ben’s death”, and added: “It is very clear that there has been a comprehensive and far-reaching review of policies, practices and organisational structures which will have very significantly reduced the risk of future fatalities.”