British soldier, 30, drowns in Normandy ahead of D-Day commemorations

A British soldier in Normandy died while on downtime on Saturday night.

Lance Corporal Darren Jones got into difficulty after entering a canal.

The serving soldier had tried to swim across the canal near the Pegasus Bridge, according to The Sun. 

A body was pulled from the water at 3am on Sunday.

French police are understood to be investigating and are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

L/Cpl Jones was in the region to take part in official celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

People walk on the Pegasus Bridge on May 31, 2019, in Benouville, northwestern France. - Pegasus was the codename given to this bridge over the river Orne, near the town of Caen, a major objective of the British 6th Airborne Division, which was landed by glider near it during the WWII Normandy Invasion on June 5 and 6, 1944. (Photo by Damien MEYER / AFP) (Photo credit should read DAMIEN MEYER/AFP/Getty Images) (Getty)

Local media said the L/Cpl was 30-years-old and was staying at Ranville, near Caen on the Normandy coast.

An Army spokesperson said: “It is with sadness that we must confirm the death of service person in France.

"Our thoughts are with their family at this difficult time.”

Thousands of people are expected in Normandy this week to mark the D-Day landings of June 6, 1944.