A skeleton still wearing a wetsuit has washed up on a Mediterranean beach, weeks after a kite surfer disappeared. The remains were recovered off the coast of Daryanah, in Libya’s Benghazi district, last Saturday. They are believed to be those of Italian Mimmo Piepoli, 39, who vanished while kitesurfing off Porto Cesareo on May 1—more than 500 miles from where the body was found.
Disappearance and search efforts
Mr Piepoli, a married father-of-two passionate about the sea and water sports, had gone out with a group of friends on May 1. He briefly returned to shore after losing his kite in strong northerly winds before heading back out. Witnesses later saw him struggling before he disappeared beneath the waves.
The initial search, coordinated by the Italian Coast Guard, covered an area of just under 100 square miles. Aircraft, including an Italian Navy helicopter, were also deployed. In the following days, the operation was expanded with divers and aircraft. However, the only trace recovered was his inflatable kite, found tangled around rocks a few days later.
Identification process
Although formal identification has yet to take place, authorities in Rome believe the remains to be Mr Piepoli. The recovered skeleton has been taken to a hospital for DNA testing to establish identity. Italy’s Scientific Committee for Missing Persons Searches said: “We hope the family will soon receive confirmation, however painful it may be.”
