A 25-year-old Marine died during 'fast roping' training just weeks after a US airman plummeted to his death during a horrific stadium stunt.
Lance Cpl Devin J Hernandez, a combat engineer, was rushed to the hospital on Tuesday evening after he sustained injuries during the training at Marine Corps Camp Schwab in Japan.
The 25-year-old from Maryland was then pronounced dead at US Naval Hospital Okinawa on Camp Foster, military officials said.
Hernandez had been a member of the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. He had previously earned the Navy Arctic Service Ribbon.
The nature of the injuries Hernandez sustained remains unclear, and officials noted that the incident remains under investigation.
But fast-roping allows troops to quickly enter an area by descending a rope from a helicopter or an Osprey tiltrotor aircraft.
Marines at Camp Schwab train on a rappel tower before they progress to air operations.
'The Marines and Sailors of 3rd Marine Division mourn the loss of one of our own,' division commander Maj Gen Kyle Ellison said in a statement.
Lance Cpl Devin J Hernandez, 25, died during 'fast roping' training on Tuesday evening. Source: Facebook/Devin Hernandez
Hernandez had been a member of the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. He had previously earned the Navy Arctic Service Ribbon. Source: Facebook/Devin Hernandez
Fast-roping allows troops to quickly enter an area by descending a rope from a helicopter or an Osprey tiltrotor aircraft
'We extend our deepest condolences to Lance Col Hernandez's family, friends and fellow Marines,' he continued, adding: 'Our focus remains on supporting them while we fully investigate the circumstances of this tragic incident.'
Maryland Governor Wes Moore also remembered Hernandez as a 'Marylander who bravely raised his hand to serve our country.
'We are stronger and safer because of his dedication and patriotism,' the governor said, noting that he and his wife 'join his family, friends and all who served with him in mourning his death and will keep them in our prayers.'
The tragedy comes just weeks after Tech Sergeant Ian Patterson, 37, a decorated service member who had been in the military over 15 years, died in a freak accident during a stunt at a Navy-University of Texas football game held at San Antonio's Alamodome stadium.
Footage of Patterson's death showed the airman losing his grip on a rope as he rappelled from the rafters of the football game, and he fell violently to the ground.
He was treated on the field for around 10 minutes before being carted off and rushed to the hospital, where he later died, according to a statement from Nellis Air Force Base Public Affairs.
The investigation will now try to determine whether Patterson's harness and rope were set up correctly and whether the rig had been independently inspected before he began his descent, according to the San Antonio Express-News.
Tech Sergeant Ian Patterson, 37, a decorated service member who had been in the military over 15 years, died in a freak accident during a stunt at a Navy-University of Texas football game Source: GoFundMe
Patterson was treated on the field for around 10 minutes before being carted off and rushed to the hospital, where he later died
The father-of-two was a tactical air control party (TACP) airman, a special warfare personnel who is embedded with combat units and calls in precision air strikes and artillery fire.
As part of their training, TACPs learn to fast rope from structures 15 to 30 feet high and rappel from helicopters 100 feet or more above ground.
But a retired special operations officer told the Express-News he has heard reports that Patterson may have attempted to correct a problem in his rappelling rig, which was not verified through an independent investigation before he stepped off a platform and lowered himself to the ground.
'I take that information seriously, but I also recognize that the investigation needs to establish the facts,' the unidentified retired officer said.
He and others with expertise stressed the importance of a follow-up inspection after equipment has been adjusted.
'One of the things we teach is that you don't rely solely on expertise or familiarity with the equipment. You verify the hookup, you verify the load-bearing system and if something changes, you inspect again,' he said.
'Those procedures exist to protect everyone, regardless of how experienced they are.'
In a statement, the 6th Combat Training Squadron said it would not comment on its investigation.
'The incident remains under investigation to determine all verified facts and causes, and it would be inappropriate to speculate on specific equipment or procedures while that independent process is ongoing,' the squadron said.
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