Food for thought: hundreds of thousands of Americans have top secret clearance. These deaths could be within statistical expectations for both countries.
Whatever it is, it has been grabbing attention recently. It is interesting to see that the same is being reported elsewhere, especially in a country even more tight lipped about its activities.
Obviously even top secret clearance has a lot of layers within it. I don't just mean the usual seniority levels one would expect, but the fact that any top secret project needs human guards/security personnel, receptionists, cleaners, drivers/manual workers and so on, who are not neither scientists nor military personnel in any classic sense. There would have to be a number of those. Heck, even the people who restock coffee machines or work in cafeterias would need a security check.
Obviously even top secret clearance has a lot of layers within it. I don't just mean the usual seniority levels one would expect, but the fact that any top secret project needs human guards/security personnel, receptionists, cleaners, drivers/manual workers and so on, who are not neither scientists nor military personnel in any classic sense. There would have to be a number of those. Heck, even the people who restock coffee machines or work in cafeterias would need a security check.