A Spanish military court is investigating the drowning deaths of two soldiers who were forced to cross a lake while carrying heavy loads, a lawyer for one of the victims’ families said on Wednesday.
The Spanish military announced on December 21 that two soldiers had been killed “during an operation” at the Cerro Muriano base near the southern city of Cordoba, without providing details of the circumstances.
However, Spanish media reported that the men, aged 24 and 34, drowned after dozens of soldiers were forced to cross the frigid lake while transporting supplies.
One of the soldiers who drowned, Carlos Leon Rico, was punished by his superiors for carrying an additional 3.5 kilograms (7.7 pounds), bringing the total to 12 kilograms, Luis Romero, the family’s lawyer, told AFP. .
It was not immediately clear whether the second soldier who died was also carrying extra weight.
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Romero said there were no rescue rafts or lifelines at the exercise site, just loose ropes to guide soldiers.
“The tragedy could have been even worse,” he added, as around 60 soldiers were waiting on the shore of the lake to cross.
The Cordoba court investigating the death transferred the case to a military court in Seville on Tuesday at the request of military officials.
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Leon Rico’s family appealed the decision, fearing that the military tribunal would try to shut down the investigation.
Defense Minister Margarita Robles said the military would “unreservedly cooperate” with the investigation.
“If there was a mistake, we need to know it,” she added earlier this month.
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