Kelly Meafua, Samoan third line from Montauban, a Pro D2 club, killed himself on the night of Friday to Saturday after jumping into the Tarn from a bridge, AFP learned from a source close to the club, confirming information from The Midi Dispatch.
With another teammate, they fell early this morning, at 6:40 a.m., in the river at Pont-Vieux, in the city center of Montauban (Tarn-et-Garonne). A dozen firefighters divers went in search of them, using a whitewater boat in particular. According to several testimonies, he was leaving a nightclub before being seen throwing himself from 22 m in the air.
The prosecutor of Montauban, Bruno Sauvage, favors the track of a “dramatic accident”.
USM Sapiac painfully announces the death of Kelly MEAFUA.
We are all shocked by this tragedy which occurred overnight from Friday to Saturday.
All our thoughts go out to his family, teammates and all club lovers.https://t.co/hpz8htw2fW pic.twitter.com/XcvSLa3KDs
— USM Sapiac (@UsmSapiacRugby) May 7, 2022
“The entire USM Sapiac club is shocked by this tragedy and has a thought for his wife, his children, his teammates and more generally all club lovers”communicated the club on its social networks. “Kelly was a player very appreciated by all, his joie de vivre was infectious and radiant. Today we have lost a player, a friend, a brother”.
The 32-year-old Samoan third row wore number 8 during US Montauban’s victory this Friday against Narbonne, and had participated a few hours earlier in his team’s victory (48-40) for his last match at home of the season. A former Samoan rugby sevens international, Meafua played for French clubs Narbonne and Béziers before joining Montauban in 2020. He had played 24 league games this season, scoring eight tries.
One of his teammates, French prop Christopher Vaotoa, jumped into the water to rescue him. Quickly rescued by firefighters, the latter was transported to the hospital in a state of hypothermia. “He left this morning (Saturday) in good health”said the Montalban club, specifying that “all training (were) suspended until further notice”.