A Canadian Armed Forces member, Captain Sean Thomas, went missing in an avalanche in Switzerland while on leave from an operational deployment, and is presumed to have been killed. The Canadian Armed Forces extend their sincere condolences to Captain Thomas's family, are providing the family with resources and support during this difficult time.
Captain Thomas was on leave in Riffelberg, Switzerland, from Operation IMPACT, in the Middle East, and is presumed to have died in the avalanche that occurred on April 1, 2024. No other members of the Canadian Armed Forces were in the area at the time.
Captain Thomas was an Infantry Officer and deployed to Operation IMPACT as part of the Canadian Training Assistance Team in Jordan, helping to build the military capabilities of regional partners, and set the conditions for stability and security in the Middle East. He deployed in November of 2023, and was scheduled to return to Canada in May of 2024.
He joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 2018 and was a member of the Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada, a Reserve unit under 31 Canadian Brigade Group.
The family has requested that their privacy be respected.
