A soldier who went missing following a parachute jump during exercises in Washington early Friday has been found dead, according to USA Today. Maj. Timothy C. Chavis, a 1st Special Forces Group spokesman, said that a local rescue team helping in the search, which ended with them finding the soldier's body in a heavy wooded area west of Tacoma around 10 p.m. Friday night.
Ryab Spurling, Mason County sheriff's chief criminal deputy, said that tarea had made the search-and-rescue difficult, but the teams were able to find the soldier within 10 hours, according to the Inquisitr. "It's pretty rough terrain with a lot of timber," said Spurling.
The soldier was part of the special forces unit that jumped at noon on Friday, which was the last time anyone saw him until his body was discovered later that night, Fox News reported.
The solider, whose name has not yet been released, was part of the 1st Special Forces Group based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family, friends and loved ones of the soldier involved in this tragic incident," said Col. Otto K. Liller, commander of the 1st Special Forces Group. "We will conduct a thorough investigation into this incident, and we will do everything in our power to support the family of the brave soldier who died today.
