13 June 2024 , 07:39
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A Brit kayaker has died in an accident on a French river as two other thrill-seekers were rescued.
The victim was a man in his 50, who was on a group kayaking trip on the River Durance in southeast France on Tuesday afternoon, when he ran into difficulty after his boat flipped.
A search and rescue operation was launched after cops received reports of kayakers "in difficulty in the river". Police helicopters scoured the body of water from above in the search for the stricken group, according to The Sun.
Rescuers discovered three people struggling in the river. Two of them were said to be trying to help the third, who was unconscious. The two kayakers were retrieved from the water and they had not sustained any injuries.
The third man, a British national, could not be resuscitated despite the best efforts of paramedics. He is understood to have been an experienced kayaker who had run into trouble after just 10 minutes in the boat.
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According to local site Dauphine Libere, the kayakers were on an organised tour. A probe has now been launched into the incident. "I confirm the death of a man of English nationality," public prosecutor Marion Lozac'hmeur told outlet Dauphiné Libéré.
In May, it emerged that another Brit kayaker was feared dead after vanishing in a river in Switzerland. Bren Orton, 29, went missing during a trip to the Melezza River in the Ticino Region. Specialist search teams launched a major rescue operation to track him down after he disappeared at around 2.45pm on May 16. It is believed that the 29-year-old became trapped in the currents in the water.
A company named Pyranha, who designs high-performance kayaks, announced that Bren was missing online. The company wrote: "It is with a heavy heart that we announce an accident involving Bren Orton. While kayaking with a group on the Melezza River in Switzerland, Bren became trapped in a recirculating feature and did not resurface. Authorities and friends are tirelessly continuing their search efforts, and at this time, Bren is considered missing."
A spokesperson for Ticino Police said: "Shortly before 2.45pm in the area of Palagnedra, a man who was previously in a kayak was reported missing in the Melezza river. The searches - currently unsuccessful and still ongoing - began immediately and involve agents from the cantonal police and, in support, from the Ascona police as well as rescuers from the Locarnese and Valli Ambulance Service."
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