Soldiers found after mountain search

The soldiers were taking part in a training exercise

Rescuers searched for a group of Italian soldiers for nine hours in mid Wales after a wrong grid reference was given in an SOS message.

Staff at the Sennybridge Army Field Training Camp near Brecon received an emergency call at 2200 BST on Monday from the group, which was on a training exercise.

It was reported that one of the eight soldiers was suffering from hypothermia and required medical treatment.

They weren't exactly where they said they would be

James Gee, Army spokesman

The group was taking part in the annual Cambrian Patrol escape and evasion exercise in the Black Mountains.

The SOS led rescuers to the spot given in the grid reference, but the soldiers could not be found.

A search was then launched involving Brecon Mountain Rescue, Dyfed Powys Police and RAF personnel who scrambled a helicopter from RAF Chivenor in Devon to scour the area.

The group were eventually found at 0730BST on Tuesday.

A 27-year-old soldier was later taken to Morriston Hospital, Swansea, thought to be suffering from mild hypothermia.

'Holed up'

He was discharged later to rejoin his team.

Army spokesman James Gee said: "We went to the grid reference given, but we think they must have got it slightly wrong because they weren't exactly where they said they would be.

"When you're in a foreign land in mountains that you have never seen before, it's not easy to know exactly where you are.

"They must have got holed up in a safe and dry place and settled down for the night until we found them at first light this morning."