Soldier dead and another injured after weapons incident on RAF Tain military shooting range
Police have sealed off part of the bombing range used by the RAF and army for training exercises
A SOLDIER has died and another has been seriously injured after a weapons incident at RAF Tain near Inverness.
Emergency services raced to the air weaponry range at about 6pm after the incident on a military shooting range.
Sources told the men had been shot during a live firing exercise
One was pronounced dead last night and the extent of the other serviceman’s injuries were not known.
A Scottish Ambulance spokesman confirmed they were dealing with “an on-going incident” at the training site, which is situated about three miles from Tain.
Police Scotland confirmed that cops were called at 5.55pm to an incident at RAF Tain which involved members of the Armed Forces.
Emergency services confirmed that one person was fatally injured in the incident. Cops have now informed the family and there were no other casualties.
Police Scotland is working closely with the Armed Forces to establish the full circumstances of the incident. But, there was no threat to the public.
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The range has 18 separate targets suitable for a variety of weapons and delivery methods and it is maintained by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation.
It is used for bombing practice and strafing training - where bomb and machine gun attacks are launched from low-flying aircraft.
The Tain range is used by tri-service, US Air Force and other Nato air forces for bombing and strafing practice, which has 18 separate targets.
Typhoons and Tornados from RAF Lossiemouth are the main air users of the range.
Tain is also responsible for Cape Wrath Range near the village of Durness.
Both ranges employ a number of civilian contracted workers.
Between January 2000 and 20 February 2016, 135 UK armed forces personnel died while on training or exercise.
Eleven of those 135 deaths occurred during a live fire exercise.
In August squaddie Conor McPherson was killed during a training exercise.
Conor, 24, of Paisley, suffered a fatal head wound at the Otterburn Training Area in Northumberland.
Lieutenant Colonel Alasdair Steele described him as “hugely committed” to the Army.
The battalion leader said: “Private McPherson was a capable young soldier.
“He had aspirations to join the machine gun platoon and attend a junior leadership course.”
Earlier this year Cpl Joshua Hoole, 26, of Ecclefechan, near Lockerbie died during training in Brecon, Wales.
Joshua, of Ecclefechan, near Lockerbie, collapsed after completing an eight-mile fitness test in July.
He joined up in 2014 before being posted to The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
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