French Vice Admiral Olivier Lebas dies in mountain fall

Vice Admiral Olivier Lebas, a former commander of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, has died in an accidental fall while hiking. He was 62.

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The Vice Admiral Olivier 'John' Lebas left us suddenly today.

Lebas, who had joined Airbus as a defense advisor in 2023, was serving as the maritime prefect of the Atlantic from 2020 to 2023. His death on Wednesday was announced by Vice Admiral Marc Antoine de Saint Germain, his successor in that role.

"Vice Admiral Olivier 'John' Lebas left us suddenly today," de Saint Germain wrote on LinkedIn. He remembered Lebas as a sailor who "embodied a committed and successful Navy." The Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Christophe Cluzel, praised Lebas's "courage, determination, humility, and kindness."

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Vice Admiral Lebas dedicated a large part of his life to the service of France. In Brest and at sea, he embodied a committed and successful Navy. I worked closely with him on operations and always appreciated him for his courage, his determination, his humility, and his kindness.

Lebas had a long and decorated career in the French Navy. He was a fighter pilot and commanded the Charles de Gaulle from 2016 to 2019, leading the naval air group. General Jérôme Pellistrandi, editor-in-chief of the Revue Défense Nationale, recalled Lebas as "a man of conviction, commitment, and faith." Pellistrandi noted Lebas's modesty, his extensive flying experience, including in hostile territory, and his pride in his crew and the carrier's capabilities.

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He was a man of conviction, commitment, and faith, always listening while he himself gave us so much.