The heat wave hitting France has already caused 40 drowning deaths since June 18. Kenzo Kies was found by divers, already in cardiorespiratory arrest
French footballer Kenzo Kies, 21, is brain dead after being pulled in critical condition from the River Rhône, on the outskirts of Lyon, on Monday. The Guingamp player, from Ligue 2, is named by French authorities as one of the victims of the extreme heat episode affecting the country.
The incident occurred late afternoon on Monday, in the area of the Feyssine waterfalls, in Caluire-et-Cuire, near Lyon. According to the French press, Kies was with friends when several people were swept away by the river’s strong current.
Emergency services were called at around 5:30 pm local time. Two of the young people were able to be removed from the water without requiring medical assistance and a third was resuscitated at the scene before being transported to the hospital in stable condition. Kenzo Kies was later found by divers, already in cardiorespiratory arrest.
Despite attempts at resuscitation, the player was transported to a hospital in critical condition and was later declared brain dead.
The Lyon Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the accident. According to local media, the group entered the water in an area where bathing is not authorized.
The tragedy comes at a time when in recent years. Temperatures exceeded 38 degrees in the Lyon region at the time of the accident and several parts of the country are approaching 40 degrees.
This Tuesday, French Prime Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, revealed that 40 people have drowned since June 18, in an attempt to cool off from the extreme temperatures. Most of the victims are young people.
A graduate of Lyon’s youth teams, Kenzo Kies also played for Saint-Étienne before joining, last season, the reserve team of Guingamp, a club that competes in Ligue 2, the second tier of French football.
