A hike in Eau Bleue on the afternoon of Thursday, April 6, proved fatal for 35-year-old Berty Emmanuel Yohan Coutet, also known as Yohan, of Pointe aux Sables. The man, his wife Cynthia, aged 30, and another couple had gone out for the day. At one point, as the 30-year-old was descending a ten-metre drop, he lost his balance and ended up in the void at the six-metre level before landing on a rock at the river’s edge.
This tragedy plunged all his relatives, friends and acquaintances into great sadness. No one expected that this outing in this beautiful and highly frequented place would be fatal for Yohan.
It was at around 2.45 pm that the tragedy took place. Yohan Coutet, who was a driver, his wife Cynthia and another couple had gone out to the Eau Bleue waterfall on Thursday 6 April. Yohan Coutet slipped off a cliff while descending. He had to land on his back. The police station of Cent Gaulettes was alerted to the accident and had to send a team to the spot.
Shortly afterwards, the personnel of an ambulance of the Emergency Medical Service (Samu), accompanied by elements of the Mauritius Fire Rescue Service, were also on the spot. First aid was given to the victim, who had a wound on his left foot, his chin and a bulge on his forehead. Unfortunately, the Samu doctor had to declare Yohan Coutet dead at around 3.25 pm.
His body was then taken to the Victoria Hospital morgue in Candos for an autopsy. The autopsy, carried out by Dr Prem Chamane, Principal Police Medical Officer, at around 8pm on Thursday 6 April, attributed the death to asphyxia caused by blood aspiration.
An investigation has been initiated at the level of the Cent Gaulettes police station to shed light on the exact circumstances of this tragedy.
The funeral of Yohan Coutet took place on Friday 7 April at 2.30pm. After the funeral ceremony at the Blessed Father Laval Chapel in Borstal, he was buried at the Saint Georges, Les Salines cemetery.
