The USM is in mourning. This Saturday morning, a player from the professional team, Samoan third line Kelly Meafua, 32, died. His body was found lifeless on the banks of the Tarn.
According to the first elements, the Tarn-et-Garonne firefighters were alerted to the 6:40 a.m. shots to two individuals, Kelly Meafua and Christopher Vaotoa, USM professional players, fell into the river at Pont-Vieux in downtown Montauban. In all, a dozen firefighters divers were dispatched to the scene as well as a whitewater boat.
The teammate wants to help
According to the first elements, the two players came out of an establishment in the city center where they had partied all night. Arrived on the Pont-Vieux, Kelly Meafua jumped first in the Tarn river located at 13 meters high. The current was strong on Friday according to the prosecution.
His teammate, Frenchman Christopher Vaotoa, 32-year-old prop, tried to rescue the Samoan player. Without success, he joined the edge of the banks. In a state of hypothermia, Christopher Vaotoa was taken to hospital in stable condition. He has since been released from hospital “in good health” according to the club.
An open investigation
Large resources were then deployed by the firefighters to find Kelly Meafua: a dozen divers as well as a whitewater boat of the firefighters.
Eventually, the lifeless body of Kelly Meafua, 32, was found by firefighters around 9:15 a.m. An investigation has been opened and an autopsy of the body will be carried out. in the next few hours to determine the exact circumstances of the tragedy.
