Former Lyon and Saint-Etienne striker Kenzo Kies has been declared brain dead after a drowning incident in the Rhone River in France. He was 21.
The incident occurred on Monday, June 22, near Parc de la Feyssine, between Villeurbanne and Caluire-et-Cuire, where swimming is prohibited.
Emergency services responded to the scene at about 5:30 p.m. after reports that four people had been caught in a strong river current.
According to local reports, two people were rescued without requiring medical treatment, while a third was pulled from the water, resuscitated, and taken to hospital in stable condition.
Kies was initially reported missing. Divers later recovered him from the river, but he was declared brain dead despite resuscitation efforts.
French outlet RMC Sport reported that the Lyon public prosecutor's office has opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Following the tragedy, French Sports Minister Marina Ferrari urged the public to avoid swimming in unsafe areas, especially during the ongoing heatwave.
"Around 20 people have drowned since the start of last weekend," Ferrari said. "I urge people to respect the safety warnings. People go swimming in unsupervised areas during heatwaves, and it is not a trivial matter.
"I understand people want to go into the water to cool down, but they really have to stick to areas that are supervised."
