British serviceman ‘found dead after night out while on military drill in Sweden’

Four people arrested on suspicion of murder

The 25-year had arrived in Sweden for the Aurora 23 defence exercise, which took place between 17 April and 11 May, with the HMS Albion ship (PA )

A British serviceman has died after a night out while on a military drill in Sweden, with four people arrested on suspicion of murder, according to reports.

The 25-year-old Navy serviceman was in Sweden for the Aurora 23 defence exercise on board the HMS Albion ship.

Swedish newspaper Expressen reported the man, who has not been identified, was on a night out in Stockholm with another member of the armed forces.

It was reported that both ended up in a house with several Swedish citizens in Solna over the weekend, with the British citizen later found dead at that residence.

The newspaper reported four people have now been arrested on suspicion of murder.

The Ministry of Defence told The Independent it is assisting local authorities in their investigation.

The statement said: “We are aware of an incident in Stockholm and we are assisting local authorities in their investigation. It would be inappropriate to comment further.”

HMS Albion was in Sweden as part of a Royal Navy amphibious task force defending the country’s coastline in a simulated invasion, with the ship leading the Littoral Response Group (North) (LRG) into the Baltic Sea for Exercise Aurora.

NATO commented of the Aurora 23 defence exercise: "Exercise Aurora is a Swedish national exercise with international participants, including NATO members.

"The exercise is an important opportunity working towards collective security in the region which sees participants practicing against high intensity scenario replicating potential threats. The exercise will include fighter, transport and other support aircraft from Sweden, Finland, Poland, Portugal, the United States and the United Kingdom.

"Operating from bases in Sweden and around the Baltic Sea area missions flown throughout the exercise will train air defence, including both offensive and defensive air operations, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance operations as well as close air support and strike missions."