The seventh British soldier to die in Afghanistan in just over two weeks has been killed in a helicopter incident.

The soldier was from 22 Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers. He died on Monday while the helicopter was taking off in Zabul province in southern Afghanistan. Next of kin have been informed.

His death brings the number of British fatalities in Afghanistan since 2001 to 175, four short of the 179 deaths recorded during the six-year military campaign in Iraq. The vast majority of the deaths in Afghanistan have occurred since the operation in Helmand province began in the early summer of 2006.

The Ministry of Defence has also named the Welsh Guards soldier who was killed in Afghanistan on Sunday during Operation Panther’s Claw, the mission to clear central Helmand of Taleban insurgents.

Lance Corporal Dane Elson, 22, of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards was killed while on patrol in Babaji, five miles north of Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital of Helmand. He was part of a fire support group attached to the Light Dragoons battle group, and was a specialist in operating the shoulder-launched Javelin anti-tank missile. He died from an explosion caused by an improvised explosive device.

Lance Corporal Elson was born in Harare, in Zimbabwe. He served in Iraq for six months from 2004 to 2005 and in Bosnia from 2006 to 2007. He was promoted to lance corporal during the pre-deployment training for Afghanistan.

Lieutenant-Colonel Gus Fair, commanding officer of the Light Dragoons battle group, said: “Lance Corporal Elson was part of a small band of Welsh Guards attached to the battle group. Despite being small in number, they have made a huge impact with their professionalism, drive and determination to take the fight to the enemy. Lance Corporal Elson was one of the best of these. It is typical of the man that he died while providing cover to the rest of his platoon.”

The MoD said in a tribute: “Prior to deployment, Lance Corporal Elson broke his wrist while learning to drive a quad bike. This meant that his deployment would be delayed. So keen was he to deploy with his fellow Welsh Guardsmen that he suggested to his section commander that he should cut off his plaster and pretend that his wrist was fine. To his disappointment, he was forced to wait for his wrist to heal.”

Bob Ainsworth, the Defence Secretary, said: “I was very saddened to learn of the death of Lance Corporal Dane Elson, who had served bravely in Afghanistan, Iraq and Bosnia and clearly had a bright future and successful army career ahead of him. The respect and warmth with which his friends, colleagues and commanders remember him speaks for itself. All of our thoughts are with his grieving family.”

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