A 68-year-old has died while participating in a special forces-style endurance event on South Wales’ highest peak, Pen y Fan, based on police.
Emergency services were called to Pen y Fan within the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park on Saturday, the BBC reports.
The person was participating within the 24 km Fan Dance event when concerns were raised about his welfare, the Dyfed-Powys Police Department told People in an announcement.
“Officers attended alongside Mountain Rescue and the Ambulance Service. Sadly, the 68-year-old man passed away. His next of kin are aware and his death shouldn’t be being treated as suspicious,” police said.
Global News has reached out to the Dyfed-Powys Police Department for further comment, but has not received a response.
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The race organizer, Avalanche Endurance Events (AEE), describes the Fan Dance event as a “gruelling 24km SAS Selection test march” that’s “used as the primary major indicator of whether a candidate has the physical and mental aptitude to finish the legendary Selection course.”
In an announcement on Facebook, AEE’s March Director Ken Jones wrote, “This message is to share news that AEE experienced a fatality through the Fan Dance Race Series event on Saturday 4th July 2026.”
“At this immediate time our focus and thoughts are with the family, subsequently, AEE, nor I because the March Director will issue any further press release until the family is in possession of the complete timeline of events and approve any further messaging. Our team is working on this on the time of posting,” Jones added.
“I wish to precise my because of the Air Ambulance Service, Brecon Mountain Rescue Team, and AEE’s Mountain Safety Team for his or her swift response and professionalism. Also, our because of the event patrons whose skilled skills and response helped us to administer this difficult significant event,” the post concluded.
The AEE said that the Fan Dance event has “historically been an integral a part of the British SAS Selection course which was first introduced as a vital test in the last decade following the Second World War,” based on the web site.
“The Fan Dance Race Selection Series UK was originally established by the AEE as a training exercise and test for clients wishing to realize entry into elite branches of the British military system, namely Paratroopers, Royal Marines Commandos and SAS & SBS reserve units,” the AEE wrote.
The AEE original Fan Dance U.K. takes place biannually with a summer and winter edition in January and July, based on the web site.
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