2e REG: Five legionnaires killed in the Alps | French Foreign Legion Information

On Monday, January 18, 2016, 14 legionnaires from the Foreign Legion’s 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment (2e REG) were caught in an avalanche while crossing the Petit Argentier saddle in the French Alps. They were taking part in basic mountain warfare training. Five legionnaires were killed. Nine were injured, including two seriously.

2e REG: Five legionnaires killed in the Alps

The Foreign Legion identified the five who died (left to right): Leg. Denis Halili, 21, from Albania (in the Legion since June 2015); Leg. Lal Bahadur Khapangi, 24, from Nepal (since August 2014); Cpl. Touré Lamarana, 33, from Madagascar (since April 2008; naturalized); Leg. Gheorghe Palade, 21, from Moldova (since January 2015); and Leg. 1st CL. Samuel Simi, 26, from Italy (since July 2013). All served with the 3rd Company 2e REG.

UPDATE (Jan. 27): A sixth legionnaire later died from injuries sustained in the avalanche. Leg. 1st CL. David Hetenyi, 23, from Hungary, died on Monday, January 25. He had served in the Legion since December 2014.

The sixth killed legionnaire of 2e REG - David Hetenyi

The avalanche occurred at an altitude of 2,400 meters (7,900 ft) near the Valfréjus ski resort in France’s Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, close to the borders with Switzerland and Italy. In total, 51 Legionnaires from 2e REG were taking part in a course leading to the Military Skier Certificate (Brevet de Skieur Militaire, BSM). The course took place in the training area of the Mountain Familiarization Group (Groupement d’Aguerrissement en Montagne, GAM), a French Army unit focused on mountain warfare training.

Last week, two French students and a Ukrainian tourist were killed in an avalanche in the same region.

In 2012, a Polish corporal from the 2e REG was killed by an avalanche in the French Alps during the same course.

In March 2015, a 2e REG legionnaire died during a live-fire exercise.

2e REG legionnaires arriving at the Valfréjus ski resort after the accident (January 18, 2016)

2e REG legionnaires leaving the ski resort (January 18, 2016)

—

See more:
Valfréjus: cinq militaires morts dans une avalanche
French Foreign Legionnaires killed in Alps avalanche

—