Yesterday afternoon five soldiers of the 2e régiment étranger de génie of the Foreign Legion were killed by an avalanche in Valfréjus, in the Savoie region, in the French Alps. Among the victims there would also be an Italian, Samuel Simi, a 26-year-old originally from Monteroni d'Arbia in the province of Siena.
The group was conducting a drill in the training area of the groupement d'aguerrissement mountains by Modane. Eight other legionaries were injured in the incident, two of them seriously.
The avalanche surprised the detachment of 50 elements just before 14.00 at about 2.000 altitude near the Col du Petit Argentier.
Today the Minister of Defense Jean-Yves Le Drian went to ValfréjusI where the other members of the group remained hospitalized.
Il 2e regiment étranger de genie (2e REG) under the command of lieutenant-colonel De Sercey is stationed at the Air Base Apt 200 -Saint-Christol (ex-base for strategic nuclear missiles), is composed of 6 companies and specializes in demining missions, opening of gates and combat in high-altitude scenarios.
(photo: Ministère de la Défense)
