Staff Sgt. George Taber and 2nd Lt. Evan Fitzgibbon.Photo: The 7th Special Forces/Facebook; West Point/The U.S. Military Academy/Facebook
Two soldiers were killed and three others were injured Tuesday during a “weather-related” incident in northern Georgia.
In apress releasefrom the the Maneuver Center of Excellence and the Fort Benning Public Affairs Office, the soldiers who died were identified as 2nd Lt. Evan Fitzgibbon and Staff Sgt. George Taber.
The service members “succumbed to injuries sustained during a weather-related incident” that took place at Yonah Mountain near Dahlonega, authorities said on Wednesday.
Added Airborne and RangerTraining Brigade Commander Col. Christopher C. Hammonds, “This loss resonates across our Army and across our nation.”
For Benning.US Army
“2nd Lt. Fitzgibbon was an incredible leader of character who exemplified Army values and the West Point ideals of Duty, Honor, and Country,” read a statement shared on social media.
Yonah Mountain is located about 170 miles northeast of Fort Benning and is occasionally used for Army training, according to theNew York Times.
TheNational Weather Service issueda severe thunderstorm warning for the area around the mountain just after 3 p.m. on Tuesday.
The agency warned of wind gusts topping 60 mph, hail and frequent lightning,FOX Weatherreported.
Strong winds from the storm damaged trees near Yonah Mountain, NWS meteorologist Ty Vaughn told theTimes.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free weekly newsletterto get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday.
This is the second incident in three weeks in which U.S. service members have died due to a weather-related incident in Georgia.
One soldier diedand nine others were injured on July 20 following a lightning strike at the Fort Gordon Army base.
The soldiers were reportedly conducting a training exercise when the incident occurred.
source: people.com
