ONE of two soldiers who died following a selection exercise was confirmed dead in the Brecon Beacons, an inquest heard.

Lance Corporal Craig Roberts, who was 24 had been certified as dead at 5.10pm on Saturday, July 13 - one of the hottest days of the year when temperatures in Powys reached 30ºC or 86ºF.

Edward John Maher, the other soldier to die following what has been reported as an SAS selection exercise, died at Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil. The 31-year-old's death was certified at eight o'clock that night.

Three other soldiers involved in the exercise, that involved climbing Pen y Fan, the highest mountain in southern Britain were taken ill, one remains in hospital.

Mr Maher's identity was only confirmed by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) ahead of the inquests, which were opened by Powys coroner Louise Hunt at Brecon Law Courts on Wednesday, July 24.

Lance Corporal Roberts, who was in the Territorial Army, was from Conwy, North Wales, but the MOD has yet to state Mr Maher's rank or regiment or where he was from.

Postmortems have been carried on both soldiers but the hearing was told a cause of death of both men is currently listed as unascertained.

Detective Inspector Iwan Jones, of Dyfed Powys Police's Brecon CID, told Mrs Hunt: "At 5.15pm on Saturday, July 13 Dyfed Powys Police were informed by the ambulance service of an incident involving military personnel completing a selection process.

"There was one deceased male and four further casualties in various locations on Pen y Fan."

DI Jones added one of the casualties is still in a critical condition in hospital.

He told Mrs Hunt the police have begun a joint investigation with the Health and Safety Executive to establish whether any criminal offences have been committed.

Police are still gathering accounts from witnesses, including military personnel and members of the public, added DI Jones who said officers will also examine 'documentary evidence regarding the exercise.'

Mrs Hunt said her inquiry would have to look at the wider importance of the deaths in relation to the Human Rights Act and said any verdicts reached must incorporate 'any failings, if any failings are identified.'

She also said inquiries must be 'independent, effective, public, prompt and involve the families'.

Mrs Hunt adjourned the hearings for a pre inquest review to be held at Aberdare on September 3 and asked that she be updated then whether any criminal charges are likely.

She also asked Lt Colonel Freddie Kemp, representing the MOD, to tell her at the next hearing whether its service inquiry will need to take precedence over her inquiries.

The coroner, who opened the inquests by saying she wished to 'place on record' her 'deepest condolences' to both families, said she would write to the families and give them the opportunity to make representations.