A trip to the sea turned into a drama for Govinden in the afternoon of Thursday, January 12. Retnon Govinden, alias Siven aged 65 years who was swimming in the lagoon found himself in difficulty in the water. The sixty-year-old was brought back to the beach by volunteers. He was then taken care of by a team of the National Coast Guard (NCG). The victim was then taken to the clinic of L’Occident in Flic en Flac. Where his death was unfortunately noted by a doctor shortly after his arrival.
It was around 12:34 on Thursday, January 12 that this Curepipian found himself in difficulty in the water at the public beach near the “Four à Chaux”, opposite the cemetery. After being pulled out by volunteers, he started to skim. The sixty-year-old was taken in charge by the men of the NCG before being transported to the clinic of L’Occident where a doctor on duty found that he had already died. According to the police officers of the NCG, at the moment he was taken out of the water, he was unconscious and reeked of alcohol.
The body of the 60-year-old was later transported to the morgue of the Victoria Hospital in Candos for an autopsy. The autopsy, performed by Dr. Prem Chamane, Principal Police Medical Officer, attributed his death to asphyxia due to drowning.
An investigation was initiated at the police station of Flic en Flac to shed light on the exact circumstances of this tragedy. Retnon Govinden went to the beach with his cousin, a 66 year old Vacoassian.
