Atelea Okati has died aged 29 following a car crash in Tonga ©World Rugby Sevens

Atelea Okati, the captain of the men's Tonga rugby sevens team, has died aged 29 following a car crash on Wednesday (December 28).

Very few details of the crash exist but it is believed to have occurred in Okati's homeland.

Okati played for Sydney based team Penrith in the full 15-a-side game before heading to Romania to sign with CSM Olympia Bucharest.

The Tongan helped the team to third place in the 2015-16 season before leaving in July of this year.

"When death strikes a team, there is no game plan for the pain," CSM Olimpia Bucharest coach Danie de Villiers said in a statement.

"Coaches like to believe that they can prepare for anything. Tricks, injury, extreme weather, know how to react in all circumstances.

"How can you put into words the emotion that you feel after receiving news so devastating?"

Okati recently captained his national team at the Oceania Sevens tournament in Fiji in November.

Others have paid tribute to Okati with World Rugby Sevens tweeting: "Our thoughts & condolences are with the friends & family of Tonga sevens captain Atelea Okati, who has passed away following a car accident."

Meanwhile Brett Gosper, the chief executive of World Rugby also posted his thoughts on social media.

"All at World Rugby shocked by news of Tonga 7s captain Atelea Okati's tragic death," read a tweet.

"Our thoughts are with his family and friends."