Royal Marine who died after being submerged in water for ‘FIVE minutes’ ‘didn’t have a lifejacket’

A Royal Marine recruit who drowned during a training exercise may not have been wearing a lifejacket.

Ethan Jones died as he and his comrades practised a beach assault at Tregantle Beach, Cornwall.

At the opening of an inquest last week, a coroner said the 20-year-old had been pulled from the water after being ‘submerged for roughly five minutes’.

It is understood that an investigation into the tragedy is examining claims that he was not wearing an inflatable device which might have kept his head above water. 

The Royal Navy’s Special Investigations Branch is also believed to be looking at a suggested failure by instructors to conduct adequate reconnaissance ahead of the exercise – this is a standard practice which would have confirmed the depth of the water off the Cornish coastline. 

According to several sources, the instructors expected the water to be far shallower – as low as knee level – when the troops disembarked from landing craft on the morning of January 21.

Instead they found the bitterly cold water was, for most, above head height and the recruits struggled to stay afloat because of the weight of the weapons and other equipment they were carrying.

While other Marines were hauled out of the water, it was several minutes before Recruit Jones was found. After being given first aid, he was flown by air ambulance to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth but died three days later.

Beach assault: The view from Portwrinkle in Cornwall, which looks east across Finnigook beach towards Whitsand bay and Tregantle beach where the recruit died 

The Mail on Sunday approached the Royal Navy for guidance on Friday morning about claims that recruits were not wearing lifejackets.

Several hours later, a senior defence official said he was unable to offer any guidance on the matter.

‘The thoughts and sympathies of the Naval Service are with the family and friends of Recruit Jones,’ he added. ‘The incident is still under investigation, therefore it would be inappropriate to comment further.’

Rct Jones, from Radstock, Somerset, joined the Royal Marines last May. 

He was only weeks from completing his 32-week basic training course and being given a coveted green beret. 

Well respected by fellow recruits, he was selected for additional responsibilities as a section commander and had won the Commando Medal – a reward for the recruit thought to most personify the spirit of the Royal Marines.

Huge loss: Colonel Simon Chapman said the Royal Marines would be ‘poorer’ following the loss of the recruit who was unable to realise his potential

In a tribute, Colonel Simon Chapman, commandant of the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines, said: ‘His award of the Commando Medal points to the quality and potential of this young Marine which sadly will not be realised.

‘We are the poorer for it but I am certain the Commando values and spirit he imbued will live on among his closest friends and colleagues.’

In an opening statement last week, the coroner’s officer said: ‘Ethan was out on an amphibious training exercise. He exited a landing craft and was submerged in sea water, for roughly five minutes. Despite intervention, CT scan showed hypoxic brain injury and EEG showed minimal brain activity. Ethan sadly passed away on January 24.’

Senior Coroner Ian Arrow then adjourned the inquest until a full hearing expected later this year.

Almost 150 members of the Armed Forces are thought to have died while training or on exercise during the past 20 years. Of 25 deaths in the Navy, 16 have been Royal Marines.