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🇫🇷 France /Disasters & Emergencies

‘Completely unprecedented’: One dead and a series of medical emergencies halt New Caledonia marathon

From Le Figaro · () French

Translated from French and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire Named sources Under investigation
  • Organizers halted the Nouméa marathon after a 25-year-old participant died and seven others experienced serious medical emergencies.
  • Eight cases occurred within about 45 minutes, overwhelming emergency resources during the event’s 43rd edition.
  • The Nouméa prosecutor opened an investigation into the runner’s death, while authorities have not determined why so many participants became ill.

The Nouméa marathon in New Caledonia was halted after eight participants suffered serious medical emergencies within about 45 minutes, including the death of a 25-year-old local runner.

The man had competed in the half-marathon and collapsed a few metres from the medical tent after crossing the finish line, event organizer Jérôme Troyat told AFP. He went into cardiac arrest and received more than 30 minutes of CPR, but rescuers could not revive him.

Completely unprecedented

· Jérôme TroyatThe marathon organizer described the concentration of eight serious cases over about 45 minutes.

Seven other participants also needed medical attention, and four were taken to Médipôle, said Lieutenant Colonel Géraldine Bourgoin, director of Nouméa’s fire and rescue services. Troyat described the concentration of eight serious cases as “completely unprecedented” in the marathon’s 43 editions.

The number of interventions eventually overwhelmed the available emergency resources. Bourgoin said the organizer could no longer ensure the safety and medical support of the runners, leading officials and Nouméa’s mayor to agree to stop the events.

The organizer was no longer able to ensure the safety and rescue of the runners given the number of victims.

· Géraldine BourgoinThe director of Nouméa’s fire and rescue services explained why the races were stopped.

The cause of the unusual wave of illness remains unknown. Bourgoin described it as potentially “multifactorial” and said heat may have played a role, while noting that the victims had varied profiles. The organizer said the weather had not appeared particularly unfavorable and stressed that those affected were athletes.

About 1,525 people took part in the different races, according to the organizer. Nouméa’s public prosecutor, Yves Dupas, opened an investigation into the causes of the young man’s death. Medical and forensic inquiries will determine the precise cause.

Multifactorial

· Géraldine BourgoinBourgoin described the possible causes of the unusual series of medical emergencies.
About this summary

Originally published by Le Figaro in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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