Africa-Press – Mauritius. A police enquiry has been initiated and is ongoing, to investigate the death of Mr G.F.W, who was the Director of D.A.Y Marine Services Ltd.
The Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, provided this information, today at the National Assembly, with regard to the death of Mr G.F.W who passed away at Mare aux Vacoas on 18 May 2021.
The Prime Minister expressed his sympathy to the bereaved family of late Mr G.F.W and informed that the latter was a Zimbabwe national who obtained Mauritian nationality on 11 December 2017.
He stated that as per information provided by the Ministry of Energy and Public Utilities, in March 2020, D.A.Y Marine and Services Ltd was awarded a contract by the Water Resource Unit (WRU) to carry out temporary repair works to the submerged external surface of the La Marie Intake Tower of Mare aux Vacoas Reservoir where leakages had been detected.
Under this contract, D.A.Y Marine Services Ltd intervened underwater on 27 May, 28 May 2020, and 17 June 2020 to attend to the repair works, he said. The Prime Minister stressed that before effecting the repairs, D.A.Y Marine and Services Ltd had already carried out an exploratory dive at the site in February 2020.
Mr Jugnauth indicated that with a view to carrying out permanent repair works at the La Marie Intake Tower of Mare aux Vacoas Reservoir, the Water Resources Unit of the Ministry of Energy and Public Utilities enlisted the services of D.A.Y Marine Services Ltd to undertake a survey of the external surface of the Tower on 18 May 2021.
He further underlined that prior to undertaking any diving operations, officers of the WRU accompanied Mr G.F.W and Mr B.J.C of D.A.Y Marine Services Ltd inside the La Marie Intake Tower of Mare aux Vacoas Reservoir to take stock of the condition of the structure.
On the same day, after having taken stock of the conditions of the structure of the Tower, Mr G.F.W dived in, along with Mr B.J.C to conduct the survey, and was later reported by the latter of having difficulties under water.
Officers of the WRU immediately called the SAMU, Fire and Rescue Services, Police and National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Centre and the Police in turn called the Groupe Intervention de la Police Mauricienne (GIPM).
The Prime Minister pointed that that Officers of the Fire and Rescue Services reached on site at around 09.55 hrs to carry out rescue operation.
The Swift Water Rescue Team of the Fire and Rescue Services brought Mr G.F.W on land and the latter was handed over to SAMU, which was already on site, which shortly afterwards certified that he had passed away.
The Police Medical Officer attributed the cause of death as being ‘Asphyxia due to drowning’, informed the Prime Minister.
