Soldiers are paying tribute to a “hero” mate who died in an Army parachute accident on Monday, as a formal investigation drags on into a similar training jump which killed the son of former Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon two years ago.

The 50-year-old Special Air Service Regiment member Lachlan Muddle, who fought in the Afghanistan war, was killed when he collided mid-air with a parachute instructor during training exercises at the Jervis Bay Airfield on the southern NSW coast.

Known as “Muds”, the Warrant Officer, Second Class, was a sniper in the SAS’s 1st and 3rd squadrons and was sent to Afghanistan five times and featured in a 2010 documentary about the gruelling selection course for the elite Perth-based regiment.

Colleagues of the popular and long serving SAS soldier have told The Nightly their fallen comrade was a freefall specialist and have described him as “completely committed” to service in the military.

“Over the years, like many others, I came to know him as a true professional soldier. Highly capable, and completely committed to the life he chose,” says one Army veteran who first met Muddle in 1998.

“Men like Mudds understood the risks better than most. Training, operations, service, sacrifice. He lived that life for decades and carried himself with the calm professionalism that earned respect across the military community.”

“Soldiering wasn’t just what he did. It was who he was.”

In a statement the Army Sniper Association described Muddle as authentic and selfless and said his loss would be felt far beyond the military community

“Lachie was an exceptional soldier, a highly respected Sniper, and, most recently, held the position of Army Sniper Master. But above all, he was a genuine bloke and a good human.” “He carried himself with professionalism, humility, and quiet strength, earning the respect of all who had the privilege of knowing and serving alongside him. “His loss will be felt far beyond the military community. Lachie’s character, mateship, and unwavering dedication to others left a lasting impression on so many. “

Former Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon also praised the “hero” SAS soldier whose death came two years after a training accident which killed his son Jack, a member of the 2nd Commando Regiment.

In a statement following the fatal accident, the Fitzgibbon family said it joined all Australians in “expressing our sorrow at the loss of another special forces soldier.”

“We are also thinking of his injured mate, and all those involved in the training exercise.”

“Warrant Officer Lachlan Muddle is an Australian hero. Having served on operations and putting his life on the line for his country, WO Muddle was still training younger soldiers prepared to make the same sacrifices. People like our son and brother Jack.”

“Training to do battle is an inherently dangerous thing, especially for our free-fall paratroopers. The Fitzgibbon family knows that reality only too well. Sadly now, so too does Lachlan Muddle’s family and friends.”

The Fitzgibbon family also noted that they were still waiting on the outcome of the IGADF investigation into Jack’s fatal jump.

“Whatever the outcome, it won’t bring Jack back. However, we continue to draw comfort in the fact that Jack died training to put his life on the line for his country.”

On Tuesday Defence Minister Richard Marles also paid tribute to Warrant Officer Lachlan Muddle, saying the Australian military had “lost one of its finest”.

“Warrant Officer Muddle was involved in a mid-air collision with another parachutist, which resulted in his death. The other parachutist has received minor injuries. Both parachutists were deeply experienced,” Mr Marles told reporters.

“It does appear as though the parachutes have become tangled, and that is why they were not open. But you know, the exact rate of descent, whether they landed together, all of those are details which need to be investigated.”

All parachuting across the Australian Defence Force has been paused while a preliminary investigation is conducted into Muddle’s death.