Afrigather In tragic information that got here to gentle on Wednesday, it was confirmed that Medhi Narjissi had been swept out to sea by robust rip currents at Diaz Seashore close to the Cape of Good Hope throughout a water restoration session.
The 17-year-old Narjissi, who’s the son of famend French hooker Djalil Narjissi, is a member of France’s squad for the upcoming U18 Worldwide Collection in Cape City, the place they are going to face hosts South Africa in addition to England and Georgia.
Medhi Narjissi was on an outing with the squad when incident occurred.
Emergency companies have been mobilised to conduct a search and rescue operation with out success all through Wednesday afternoon and night.
“We lengthen our deepest condolences to the household and the French rugby neighborhood for the tragic lack of Medhi,” mentioned Mark Alexander, president of the South African Rugby Union.
“We can not start to grasp the sorrow the household have to be feeling at this second. Please know that your complete rugby fraternity stands with you in mourning the lack of Medhi. This devastating information has been felt deeply throughout the rugby neighborhood right here in South Africa and all over the world.”
Alexander mentioned that SA Rugby had provided each help it may to the French staff and Mehdi’s household, who’re en route to South Africa.
The French Rugby Federation introduced on Wednesday that Mehdi was swept away by a wave as he and his team-mates have been swimming on the Cape of Good Hope at round 16h00.
FFR CONFIRMED TRAGIC INCIDENT
“The French Rugby Federation (FFR) has discovered with nice emotion that Medhi Narcissi, Stade Toulouse participant, who travelled to South Africa to compete within the Worldwide Collection with the French males’s under-18 staff, has disappeared,” an announcement learn.
“This Wednesday, round 4 p.m., he was swept away by a wave, whereas he and his teammates have been swimming within the sea, on the Cape of Good Hope.
“Rescue companies (boats and helicopters) are presently being mobilised to seek out Medhi.”
“Pending ongoing analysis, the French Rugby Federation has approached Medhi’s household and is supporting the U18 staff and its supervisors on website, the place a psychological unit has been arrange,” the assertion added.
NSRI STATEMENT ON INCIDENT AND RESCUE MISSION:
NSRI spokesman Craig Lambinon mentioned their intensive search has not delivered any outcomes but, however the search stays ongoing.
“Regardless of an intensive sea, air and shoreline search there stays no indicators of the lacking teenager,” Lambinon defined.
“Ideas, care and compassion are with the household, buddies and the rugby staff of the lacking teenager on this troublesome time,” he mentioned.
The U18 Worldwide Collection will happen at Stellenberg Excessive Faculty, Paarl Gimnasium and Paarl Boys Excessive Faculty within the Western Cape and can be contested by hosts South Africa, France, England and Georgia.
The affect on the scheduling of the match – which kicks off at Stellenberg Excessive Faculty in Cape City on Monday – has not been decided.
