Rugby star Kelly Meafua has died after leaping off a bridge in France just several hours after playing for French club Montauban as his teammate desperately tried to save his life.
The Samoan jumped from the Pont-Vieux bridge into the River Tarn in the south of the country on Saturday after his team won 48-40 against Narbonne in their final home game of the Pro D2 season. He was reportedly celebrating with his teammates when he tragically jumped from a height of over 20 metres.
His Montauban teammate and prop forward Christopher Vaotoa attempted to resuscitate and save Meafua but had to be rescued by firefighters himself. Vaotoa was hospitalised with hypothermia and discharged the following day.
