A 68-year-old man died while taking part in a special forces-style endurance event on South Wales’ highest peak, Pen y Fan, according to police.
Emergency services were called to Pen y Fan in Bannau Brycheiniog National Park on Saturday, the BBC reports.
The man was taking part in a 24km Fan Dance event when concerns were raised about his welfare, Dyfed-Powys Police Department told People in a statement.
“Officers attended along with Mountain Rescue and the Ambulance Service. Unfortunately, the 68-year-old man passed away. His next of kin were conscious and his death is not being treated as suspicious,” police said.
Global News has contacted Dyfed-Powys Police Department for further comment, but has not received a response.
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Race organizers, Avalanche Endurance Events (AEE), describe the Fan Dance event as “a grueling 24km SAS Selection test march” that is “used as the first major indicator of whether a candidate has the physical and mental aptitude to complete the legendary Selection course.”
In a statement on Facebook, AEE March Director Ken Jones wrote, “This message is to convey the news that AEE experienced a fatality at the Fan Dance Race Series event on Saturday July 4, 2026.”
“At this time our focus and thoughts are on the family, therefore, AEE, and I as March Director will not be issuing any further press releases until the family knows the full timeline of events and agrees to a further message. Our team was working on this at the time of this post,” added Jones.
“I would like to thank the Air Ambulance Service, the Brecon Mountain Rescue Team and the AEE Mountain Safety Team for their quick response and professionalism. Also, our thanks to the event visitors whose skills and professional response helped us manage this important and challenging event,” the post concluded.
AEE said that Fan Dance events “have historically been an integral part of the British SAS Selection course first introduced as an important exam in the decades following the Second World War,” according to the website.
“The Fan Dance Race Selection Series UK was originally established by AEE as training and testing for clients wishing to enter the elite branches of the British military system, namely the Paratroopers, Royal Marine Commandos and SAS & SBS reserve units,” wrote AEE.
AEE’s original Fan Dance UK takes place twice a year with summer and winter editions in January and July, according to the website.
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