A 67-year-old British woman died on a wild boar hunting trip in France after suffering from a fatal gunshot wound accidentally given to her by her companion. The Independent described it as a "dramatic" accident that has sparked debate over stricter regulations on France's hunting traditions.

The deceased was part of a hunting party with a dozen other people who were on a wild boar hunt in the Goudelin area of Brittany in northwestern France. The accident happened on Sunday morning after she received a gunshot wound just above her heart. The victim was immediately rushed to Yves-Le Foll hospital in Saint-Brieuc but did not survive due to a "penetrating wound above the heart," as reported by the French newspaper Le Télégramme. She died at 12:20 pm despite the medical intervention of the emergency services.

The prosecutor's official statement read, "the hunters were advancing through a field of corn silage when one of them, a 69-year-old man, in circumstances yet to be determined, fired with his shoulder-mounted rifle, barrel pointing towards the back. The shot hit his companion... and [the] bullet caused a penetrating wound above the heart."

A 69-year-old man from the same hunting party was taken into custody and is currently being investigated. It has been determined that the bullet obtained from the deceased came from his rifle. He is currently being investigated for manslaughter charges and has been named as one Pierre Philippot.

The alleged shooter was also examined by medical professionals and initial investigation showed that he was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol when the shooting took place. Investigations are currently underway to determine the exact circumstances of the incident.

The mayor of Goudelin, Laurent Le Faucheur said, "it's a shock for us, it's a couple we knew well."

A post-mortem examination has been scheduled for Wednesday. Authorities will know more after the autopsy.

Hunting
Wikimedia Commons