It was in February 2023 that one of the soldiers hiked along the ridge between the North and South peaks. In connection with that, he would pass a risk area for hanging drifts.
A sledgehammer broke when the soldier stood on it and an avalanche was triggered. The soldier was swept away in the avalanche and died.
The defense must improve that
The state’s accident commission states that the soldier was specially trained to work in mountain and mountain environments. The experience for the assignment was there.
But the investigation shows that certain training elements have contributed to a perception among soldiers which meant that they underestimated the risks when passing over hanging drifts.
The colonel: “Do our utmost”
The report also states that the Swedish Armed Forces should develop or supplement training materials and practical exercises relating to the risks of hanging drifts.
– We welcome all investigations that can increase the safety of our staff even more. We do our utmost to minimize risk for our personnel in all situations, says Colonel Teddy Larsson, regiment commander at K 4 in Arvidsjaur.
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