Two soldiers dead after weather-related incident during training exercise in Georgia
Two soldiers based at Fort Benning have died and another three have been injured following a weather-related incident in northern Georgia, officials said Tuesday.
The Army at the time was conducting a training program at the Maneuver Center of Excellenc on Yonah Mountain, located near Dahlonega, an Army spokesperson told WAGA-TV.
The three injured soldiers were treated on the scene by an Army medic before being transported to a local hospital, where they continued to receive care Wednesday morning. Their conditions were not immediately clear.
None of soldiers have been identified and few other details have been released.
The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning at around 3 p.m. for the area for an event capable of producing quarter-sized hail and 60 mph winds. Within minutes, the White County Emergency Management Office reported downed trees on Yonah mountain, about 70 miles northeast of Atlanta and 170 miles northeast of Fort Benning.
The Army often conducts training on the mountain including the Ranger School’s Mountain Phase. Soldiers who train there typically will report out of Camp Merrill in the northern part of the state.
This marks the second deadly incident involving soldiers stationed in Georgia in the past month. Sgt. 1st Class Michael Clark was killed in late July by a lightning strike at Fort Gordon near Augusta. Nine other soldiers were also injured in the incident.
