Three people lost their lives and three others are still missing since Sunday April 14 at sea in different parts of the island. The sunny day had got off to a good start. But many Mauritians who went to the beach and elsewhere ignored the forecast from the Vacoas weather station, which had predicted large swells. The tragedies occurred at îlot Sancho, Chemin Grenier, Le Souffleur, L’Escalier, Belle Mare and Flic en Flac respectively. Searches for the three missing persons, which continued until nightfall on Monday April 15, were unsuccessful.
The tragic news of three drownings and three missing persons at sea has shaken the entire country. While the body of Doorgesh Caunhye, known as Kushil, a 28-year-old hotel employee, has been found and recovered, that of his brother Teeshal Caunhye, an 18-year-old student at SSS Ebène, remains unaccounted for. The two Lalmatie residents had gone to the south of the country for a day of relaxation with their families. The two brothers were on the rocky part of Islet Sancho at around 3.30pm when they were swept away by a large wave.
Although Doorgesh Caunyhe’s body was found floating in Sainte Marie Bay shortly afterwards, his brother’s body could not be found. Kushal Caunhye’s body was brought to the beach by volunteers. Sergeant Ramgopal of the Chemin Grenier police station, who had arrived at the scene with his team, applied first aid to the victim before she was transported to Souillac hospital. En route, she was picked up by a Service d’Aide Médicale d’Urgence ambulance. Unfortunately, the doctor had to pronounce her dead.
Early in the morning, at 7.30 a.m., two young people met a tragic end. They had arrived the day before for a camping trip to Le Souffleur. A 42-year-old businessman from the village of Saint Julien, who was part of the group, witnessed the scene. Like him, the two victims had gone for a walk. At one point he saw his 26-year-old Damien Joachim Deruisseau on a rock, calling for help. He informed him that Marie Agnès Descombes, also 26, had been swept away by a swell. They both jumped into the water to save the young woman. As the sea was very rough, the young man was also swept away by the waves. He managed to make it back to dry land.
Agnès Descombes is a teacher living in Beau-Bassin, while Damien Deruisseau, an executive assistant, lives in Quatre-Bornes.
In Belle Mare, police officers from the Belle Mare police station went to the public beach landing where the body of 70-year-old Jean Rabot was lying on the sand. The Quartier Militaire resident had his son by his side, and a 43-year-old mechanic was at his side. The septuagenarian was rushed to the Dr Bruno Cheong hospital in Flacq, where he was pronounced dead.
