Canadian soldier vanishes and is presumed dead after getting caught in Swiss avalanche while on leave from Jordanian deployment

A member of the Canadian Armed Forces is presumed dead after vanishing when he got caught in an avalanche in Switzerland while on leave from Jordanian deployment.

Captain Sean Thomas was one of the three people killed in the colossal snow collapse close to a popular ski resort in Zermatt on Easter Monday. Nicole (Nikky) Nagy, 25, from Waterloo, and Aleksas Beiga, 15, from Illinois also died.   

The Department of National Defense announced his death in a press release and said they are mourning the loss of Thomas, who is an infantry Officer and deployed to Operation IMPACT in the Middle East as part of the Canadian Training Assistance Team in Jordan.

Chief of Defense Staff General Wayne Eyre said: 'In this moment of profound reflection and sorrow, our thoughts go out to the family, friends, and colleagues of Captain Sean Thomas.

'We remember and honor Captain Thomas not just for his service, but for the unwavering dedication and professionalism with which he served our nation. His absence will be profoundly felt by all those who knew him and served alongside him.'

Captain Sean Thomas was one of the three people killed in the colossal snow collapse close to a popular ski resort in Zermatt on Easter Monday

Shocking video showed the moment the avalanche came down near the Riffelberg area

No other CAF members were in the area at the time of the avalanche, the statement added.

Defense Minister Bill Blair said: 'We join all Canadians to extend our condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Captain Sean Thomas who is presumed to have lost his life in a tragic avalanche in Switzerland.

'Canadians will remember the dedication and sacrifices made by him and his family, as he proudly served our country.' 

Vice-Admiral Bob Auchterlonie, Commander Canadian Joint Operations Command, said: 'It is with heavy hearts that we have learned of the devastating news that Captain Sean Thomas is missing and presumed dead after being caught in an avalanche in Switzerland while on leave from Operation IMPACT.'

He added: 'I am profoundly saddened by this incident, which occurred at what was supposed to be a time of well-deserved respite. Our thoughts and sympathies go out to the family, friends and loved ones of Captain Sean Thomas and we will do all that we can to support them in their time of grief.'

Thomas, who was enjoying leave in Riffelberg, Switzerland, from Operation IMPACT in the Middle East, was set to return to Canada in May 2024. He joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 2018.

Another Canadian killed in the avalanche was a 25-year-old female since identified as Nicole ‘Nikki’ Nagy from Waterloo, Ontario. 

Nagy was working as a paramedic in Perth County since 2022 and prior to that had been working as a firefighter with the La Ronge Regional Fire Department in Perth County.

An American teenager was also killed in the Swiss avalanche - identified as 15-year-old Aleksas Beiga from Illinois, a son of an Olympic swimmer. 

A fourth person was found with injuries and flown to a nearby hospital after a dramatic hunt around the area of Riffelberg involving four helicopters.

Friends described Aleksas as a 'beacon of kindness and intelligence' who loved outdoor sports including 'carving up the slopes on his skis' in a fundraiser launched for his family.   

'Words cannot capture the depth of sorrow we feel, nor adequately express the profound loss of a young soul so full of promise, joy, and vitality,' their fundraiser reads.

The child's father, Ned Beiga, 52, is a Lithuanian former professional swimmer who competed in the breaststroke event at the 1992 Summer Olympics.

Friends remembered Aleksas for his 'infectious laughter, boundless energy and compassionate heart' which 'touched the lives of all who knew him' and 'brightened every room he entered'. 

'His vivacity knew no bounds, and his zest for life was unparalleled,' they wrote. 

'Whether he was diving into the swimming pool, racing down the trails on his bike, or carving up the slopes on his skis, Aleksas approached every moment with enthusiasm and passion.'   

The American teenager killed in a Swiss avalanche has been pictured for the first time and identified as Aleksas Beiga from Illinois , son of an Olympic swimmer

Authorities warn there is still a risk of avalanche amid 'hurricane force' winds in the region

In the aftermath of the avalanche, 45 rescuers scrambled to find the missing skiers. 

They were aided by eight avalanche dog handlers, 13 rescue specialists, 15 firefighters and local ski instructors.

'The deceased are a 15-year-old American as well as a man and a woman whose identification has not yet been completed,' according to a statement from local authorities.

The injured person was a 20-year-old Swiss man, they added. 

Authorities are warning of the risk of more disasters amid heavy snowfall and 'hurricane force' winds in the region.

The skiers were reportedly in an area prone to deep snow outside of the marked ski slopes around 2pm when the avalanche struck.

Skiers ride down the slopes at Riffelberg with Mount Matterhorn in the background, in 2012

General view of the popular resort at Zermatt in southern Switzerland 

'It looked to me as if there were several people on the slope at the time of the avalanche,' a horrified witness told local outlet Blick.

Bruno Jelk, former head of the Zermatt mountain rescue service and current head of Mattertal avalanche monitoring, said several had come off piste on a 'very steep slope' where tracks could still be seen.

'The search wasn't that easy at the beginning,' said Anjan Truffer, head of rescue at Air Zermatt. 

Two of the victims were found with avalanche search devices on their person, authorities said.