A police investigation has been launched to ascertain how Medhi Narjissi, a 17-year-old player affiliated to Toulouse, went missing at sea while on tour with France Under-18s in South Africa.

Narjissi, part of the squad that had been due to participate in this summer’s U18 International Series, remains missing as of Thursday afternoon, with the Fédération Française de Rugby confirming in a statement that the rest of the squad will be pulling out of the tournament and returning home before the end of the week.

The FFR has also launched its own internal investigation with many questions still to be answered about the incident on Wednesday afternoon at the Cape of Good Hope, close to Cape Town. In its statement, France’s governing body said that although there remained several unknowns, “the team were participating in a recovery session in a cold bath, by the sea, at Dias Beach, in the presence of staff, up to a depth where the players were still able to stand”.

The statement added: “When the group got out of the water, Medhi was hit and dragged by a wave and strong currents towards the open sea.”

Divers and helicopters were deployed to the scene after the coastguard was alerted between 3-4pm, but the search was made treacherous by waves up to four metres high and a northerly wind of 15 knots. The search continued into Thursday alongside France’s RNLI equivalent, but the Toulouse youth player remains missing.

The FFR added in its statement that they have arranged for Narjissi’s family to fly to South Africa and that “a psychological unit has been set up to offer assistance to the players and staff in South Africa.”

“The Fédération Française de Rugby remains unable to provide further updates on our young player, Medhi Narjissi, reported as missing on Wednesday,” the FFR statement read. “Medhi was carried away by a wave on Wednesday afternoon, in South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope, where France’s men’s under-18’s team have been staying since July 31 for the International Series.

“In this dramatic and terribly distressing context, the FFR offers all its support to the player’s family and friends, to his team-mates and the management on site in South Africa, as well as to his club, Toulouse.

“A police investigation has been opened in order to determine the exact circumstances of the disappearance. The FFR has also opened its own internal investigation. What we know currently is that the team were participating in a recovery session in a cold bath, by the sea, at Dias Beach, in the presence of staff, up to a depth where the players were still able to stand. When the group got out of the water, Medhi was hit and dragged by a wave and strong currents towards the open sea.

“As soon as the alarm was sounded, the local authorities mobilised quickly in order to try to find the young player. The search, led by the Société Nationale de Sauvetage en Mer [French RNLI] continued on Thursday morning.

“As we await news, in consultation with Toulouse, the FFR has organised for Medhi’s family to travel to South Africa. They will be accompanied by a member of the FFR’s senior management who will also lead our internal investigation.

“A psychological unit has been set up to offer assistance to the players and staff in South Africa.

“Finally, the FFR has cancelled the team’s participation in the International Series and from [Friday] will organise the squad’s repatriation to France, where the players and staff will remain in our care.”

‘We cannot begin to comprehend the sorrow’

Toulouse issued a statement on the matter on Thursday morning, explaining that they had also set up their own internal psychological unit for the club’s youth players, before Mark Alexander, the president of the South African Rugby Union, offered his sympathy.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the family and the French rugby community for the tragic loss of Medhi,” said Alexander in a statement.

“We cannot begin to comprehend the sorrow the family must be feeling at this moment. Please know that the entire rugby fraternity stands with you in mourning the loss of Medhi. This devastating news has been felt deeply across the rugby community here in South Africa and around the world.”

The U18 International Series is scheduled to begin on Monday with England facing Ireland, South Africa ‘A’ taking on Georgia and South Africa hosting France. The first round is to be played at Stellenberg High School, with Paarl Gimnasium and Paarl Boys High to stage the remaining fixtures on August 16 and August 20.