France youth rugby player ‘swept away’ by wave in Cape Town

The National Sea and Rescue Institute (NSRI) are continuing their search for member of France’s under-18s rugby squad who went missing after going swimming in the sea in Cape Town.

It is understood 17-year-old  Medhi Narjissi went missing at Diaz Beach, Cape Point on Wednesday.

NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said Narjissi may have been swimming at Diaz Beach when strong rip currents swept the teenager into the surf zone.

Swept away

Lambinon said a team-mate who unsuccessfully attempted to rescue Narjissi managed to return to shore uninjured.

“It appeared that two people were in the surf zone in rip currents when one person had come ashore but the second person may have disappeared in the water. Despite an extensive sea, air and shoreline search there remains no signs of the missing teenager.

“Thoughts, care and compassion are with the family, friends and the rugby team of the missing teenager in this difficult time,” Lambinon said.

Lambinon said French authorities and authorities from the City of Cape Town tourism are assisting with counselling and logistics.

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French Rugby Federation

The French Rugby Federation (FFR) said Narjissi the France rugby team were in a bonding session in Cape Town when Narjissi went missing.

“The FFR has learned with great emotion that Medhi Narjissi, Stade Toulouse player, who travelled to South Africa to compete in the International Series with the French men’s under-18 team, has disappeared,” it said.

Knysna teen

Last month, a South African mother was left heartbroken after the body of her 20-year-old son who had gone diving off the coast of Greece was found in a tragic incident that gripped the community of Knysna.

Benjamin Bezuidenhout went missing after he apparently free-dived into the sea north of Sami, in the vicinity of the island of Kefalonia.

When the former Knysna High School pupil didn’t return, alarm bells sounded, and a full-scale search began.

The Hellenic Coast Guard, private vessels, a diver, and a Hellenic Air Force helicopter participated in the search. But, Bezuidenhout’s body was later found near the area where he was last seen swimming.

In March, skipper John Matambu went missing after a charter fishing ski-boat, captained by the KwaZulu-Natal skipper, was found wrecked and burnt along the Mozambique coastline.

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