Coast Guard: Recruit Died Of Heat-Related Illness Following Physical Fitness Assessment

STORY UPDATED ON FEB. 14, 2017 AT 4:15 P.M.

CAPE MAY, N.J. (CBS/AP) — The Coast Guard has revealed what caused a recruit to collapse and die during a physical fitness assessment last summer.

Seaman Recruit Aaron Redd died on July 7, 2016 at the Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May, nearly a week after his physical fitness assessment.

The 21-year-old Redd collapsed after completing a 1.5 mile run during his physical fitness assessment on July 1.

The Coast Guard said in a statement that Redd's death was the result of a heat-related illness that was exacerbated by an underlying medical condition.

"Any loss of life is a cause for reflection, so we want to do whatever we can to increase the level of safety at our training facilities," Rear Adm. David Throop, commander of the Force Readiness Command, said in a statement.

Redd was from Stafford, Virginia.