A French soccer player who was trying to cool off during Europe’s heat wave has died from drowning, authorities said Thursday.
Kenzo Kies, 21, who played for the Guingamp reserve team, died after being pulled from a prohibited swimming area of the Rhone River on Monday, the BBC reported. He was in critical condition after he was transferred to an area hospital, and was later declared brain dead.
Kies and three of his friends entered the river near Lyon as temperatures in several areas of France soared into triple digits, according to the BBC. Paris recorded a temperature of 104 degrees, The Associated Press reported.
Kies’ friends were extracted safely from the water, but the soccer player was the last person to be found, according to the BBC.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said that 40 people have drowned in heat-related deaths in France since last June 18, the AP reported. Residents have been seeking relief in rivers and other bodies of water, despite warnings from French officials about unsupervised swimming, according to the news organization.
Kies was part of the youth setups at Lyon and Saint-Etienne before joining Guingamp last year, the BBC reported.
Guingamp paid tribute to Kies on X, writing: “Guingamp has had the sorrow of learning of the death of Kenzo Kies, a young player with the club.”
The club added that it would offer its “full support” to Kies’ family during this “painful ordeal.”
In a statement, Saint-Etienne said, “The Green Generation is in mourning.”
“A resident of the Robert-Herbin Sports Centre for seven years, a talented player and discreet young man appreciated by all, Kenzo Kies has lost his life in dramatic circumstances,” the club wrote. “Saint-Etienne extends its most sincere condolences to his loved ones as well as to those -- teammates and coaches alike -- who shared a piece of his journey. Kenzo, in the corridors of L’Etrat, no one will ever forget you.”