Gurkha soldier dies during non-operational training incident in Brunei

Corporal Navin Thapa Magar working in the British Gurkha Army has died in Brunei during a non-operational training incident in Brunei on 11 August this year.

A month after the incident, the Ministry of Defense of Britain confirmed that Thapa died, but did not give further details of the incident.

He was a member of A (Delhi) Company and served in Brunei, the UK, on operations in the Balkans and on numerous overseas training exercises, the MOD said.

He also deployed to Kosovo with the Battalion on Operation Allied Solace in September 2021, working to provide a safe environment for Afghan refugees.

Having grown up in western Nepal, he attended selection for the British Army in 2013 and received an award as a top recruit for the Western Region.

He then completed his basic training at the Infantry Training Centre in Catterick before joining his regiment.

The Ministry of Defence said he was moved towards ever greater challenges by his “constant pursuit of excellence” and that his loss is felt deeply among “all who knew him”.

“Corporal Navin was an outstanding example of a leader who served his soldiers to the utmost. He was one of the most respected soldiers and leaders in the unit and he cared deeply about the welfare and development of those more junior than him.”, The MOD added.