A British army officer has died in a non-combat incident at an air base in Iraq, the Ministry of Defence confirmed today.
Captain Dean Sprouting, a married father-of-two, may have been hit by a vehicle while on a mission to help in the fight against Islamic State.
His death on Wednesday occurred behind the wire at Al Asad Air Base and was not a result of enemy activity, the MoD said in a statement.
Captain Dean Sprouting, of the Adjutant General’s Corps, was killed at Al Asad Air Base in Iraq on January 31 in an incident not involving the enemy, the Ministry of Defense says
No firearms were involved in Captain Sprouting’s death and it was not the result of suicide, military sources said. It is believed to have been a vehicle-related incident
An investigation into the death is ongoing, but it did not involve fire-arms and was not the result of a suicide. It was initially understood to be a vehicle-related incident.
Captain Sprouting of the Adjutant General’s Corps at the air base was serving with Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland.
He is the second serving British soldier to die on the counter-Daesh training mission in the war-ravaged region.
Lt Col Rob Hedderwick, his Commanding Officer, said he was an ‘indispensable part of the battalion’.
He said: ‘It is hard to do justice to a man such as Dean Sprouting with simple words.
‘In no time at all he had become an indispensable part of the battalion, not only for his professional expertise but also for his compassionate manner and camaraderie.’
He added: ‘His intelligence and sharp wit was apparent from the outset; there was an ever-present twinkle in his eye and he would gladly admit that his youth had been full of adventure.
‘Dean was simply one of those people whose infectious humour and enthusiasm drew others to him. His professional knowledge was second to none and his sage advice already something I had come to rely on.
‘His loss is keenly felt by us all and our thoughts and prayers are with his wife and children whom I know he cherished more than anything else in this world. I am hugely proud and thankful to have known him. He was a very good man.’
Captain Sprouting was a married father-of-two. His commander said he cherished his children ‘more than anything else in this world’
The death occurred at Al Asad Air Base in Iraq (file image) while Captain Sprouting was participating in a training mission to combat ISIS
Warrant Officer Class One Tam Millsip, Visiting Warrant Officer, 51 Infantry Brigade said: ‘Dean’s warm, personable nature was never diluted while conducting his duties and those who he had dealings with were always left smiling after Dean imparted his unique wisdom and outlook on life.
‘Dean was a tremendously entertaining man to be around. He would bring a great deal of joy and laughter to those around him often at the expense of himself; there was never a boring day spent with Dean and my thoughts go out to his family at this very sad time.’
The father of two, of Denny, Stirlingshire, joined the army in 1989 and had served in places including Northern Yugoslavia, Cyprus and Kosovo, Sudan, Angola and Germany.
An investigation has been launched to establish the circumstances of the incident.
Minister for the Armed Forces Mark Lancaster said: ‘Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this very difficult time.
‘An investigation is under way to establish the detail but it is not a result of enemy activity.’
In January last year, British soldier Lance Corporal Scott Hetherington was shot dead in a suspected accident in Iraq.
The soldier serving with 2nd Bn the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment became the first member of the British forces to die in Iraq since 2009.
He was killed at a military base in Taji, north of Baghdad.