The rugby world is in mourning.

One of its players died in a tragic road accident in Castres, southern France, on May 8.

1/10 A horrific accident

A tragic and violent end. On May 8, at approximately 8:15 a.m., a tragic accident occurred on a road in Saïx, in the Tarn department, southwest of Castres.

A car collided with a regional express train (TER) right at a level crossing near the Lévézou training center.

2/10 Driver died at the scene

The accident resulted in the driver’s immediate death due to the immense force of the impact. He was subsequently dragged by the train for a distance of 200 meters.

3/10 Josaia Raisuqe, Castres Olympique player

According to information gathered by the newspaper La Dépêche, the victim was 30-year-old Josaia Raisuqe, a Fijian-born player who played as a winger for Castres Olympique.

4/10 Tragedy struck after training

He had been a member of the rugby club since 2021. In fact, he was returning from the club when the tragedy occurred; just minutes earlier, he had been at the training center.

5/10 Investigation launched

An investigation has been launched to determine the exact causes of the accident. It has been entrusted to the Castres and Vielmur-sur-Agout investigative units. 6/10 “Driver allegedly forced his way through”

According to a source close to the matter speaking to LCI/TF1, “the driver allegedly forced his way through while the barriers were down.”

7/10 Initial accounts

According to preliminary reports, “the vehicle most likely breached the safety barriers and was subsequently struck by a locomotive.”

8/10 Comments from the Castres public prosecutor

Élodie Buguel, the Castres public prosecutor, told TF1 Info: “Technical and forensic investigations have been carried out, specifically to establish the exact circumstances of the collision (retrieving data from the train’s ‘black box’ and verifying the proper functioning of the level crossing).”

9/10 “Castres Olympique in mourning”

The club shared its grief on X. “Castres Olympique is in mourning. It is with a heavy heart that we learned this morning of the death of our player, Josaia Raisuqe, in a car accident. We offer our sincere condolences and thoughts to his family and loved ones,” they wrote.

10/10 Rugby league speaks out

The rugby league also took to X to send “its sincere condolences and deepest thoughts to Josaia Raisuqe’s family and loved ones.”