Tragedy Strikes: Teen Drowns in Forbidden Waters of Marne River, Sparking Safety Concerns

The tragic incident occurred on Sunday, June 15. Despite the signs prohibiting swimming in the Marne, as well as the barriers installed to limit access to the area, Mohamed and five other boys rushed from one of the three pontoons in the area. "This pontoon is private. It is protected by a barrier over 2 meters high that is wider than the footbridge," says Mayor Zartoshte Bakhtiari to Le Parisien. This obstacle did not prevent the six teenagers from jumping into the water.

The boys were called to order by one of the municipal employees present when they returned to the shore. "He told them it was forbidden and dangerous because of the current and that the river police would be passing by," details a source close to the case. But Mohamed and his friends did not follow his advice and plunged into the river a second time, while the employee was busy with customers. "From the chalet, they have no visibility on this pontoon," explains the mayor.

According to a witness on the bank, "one of the young people was hesitant to get into the water." It was Mohamed, who cannot swim. Later, a swimmer noticed that "several teenagers were in difficulty," says the same police source. Alerted, the municipal staff threw a life buoy, which allowed three boys to get out of the water. Two others remained in the river to, they say, "look for their friend." They eventually made it back to the shore.

Mohamed is the only one missing. The Paris firefighters intervened quickly. After a few minutes of searching, they recovered Mohamed’s lifeless body, found "4 meters deep." Resuscitation attempts were in vain. The teenager was already dead. "Rescues had already taken place, but no drowning to date," says the mayor of the city, who assures that measures will be taken to prevent the occurrence of a new tragedy.