Monaco surgeon tragically died in a plane crash

Jean-Pierre Franceschi was one of five people killed in a plane crash near Lisbon on Monday. He was a pioneer in orthopaedic surgery and had operated on many football players.

Marseille and OM are in mourning after the tragic death of the 64 year old surgeon Jean-Pierre Franceschi. He was well known in the field of football for having rehabilitated many players such as Jean-Pierre Papin, Robert Pirès, Basile Boli, Éric Cantona and Éric Di Méco. He had also operated hundreds of anonymous patients at his clinic in Marseille.

Circumstances still unclear

Jean-Pierre Franceschi lost his life in a plane crash last Monday afternoon in Cascais, southern Portugal. The reasons for the crash are still unknown; the five victims included three people of French nationality and one Swiss. The small passenger plane fell on a warehouse near the aerodrome of Cascais. The President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, quickly arrived on the scene to give his support.

There were many reactions after the death of Jean-Pierre Franceschi and his wife was announced. The mayor of Marseille, Jean-Claude Gaudin expressed strong emotions on Facebook: “It is with great sadness that I learn of the death of Jean-Pierre Franceschi who together with his wife Nathalie and three other victims lost his life in a terrible plane crash. An internationally recognized orthopaedic surgeon, he was also an invaluable reference in the world of sport and contributed to medical excellence in Marseille.”

Feelings which were shared among players including former professional Marc Libbra, very touched: “A thought for the great doctor Jean Franceschi who has just left us. #rip.”

Sportsmen of the current OM squad also shared their sadness such as midfielder Grégory Sertic, this time in a post on Instagram. More generally, it is the sporting world that is saddened by the terrible news. This is evident by the reactions of RC Toulon rugby player Jean-Charles Orioli and former tennis player Henri Leconte.

One of his closest colleagues, the orthopaedic surgeon Abdou Sbihi, praised the Provence for his greatness of soul: “He was the most human person I know. He operated on a lot of footballers but also everyone. He was always open, available and at the service of any patient. He could have been a star but he has always refused this role.” Jean-Pierre Franceschi was the father of two daughters: Cécile, 37 and Laetitia, 31.

Photos: lefigaro.fr/Instagram