A kitesurfer who had been missing for months is believed to have been discovered as authorities found remains washed up on a beach in Libya in an advanced state of decomposition.
Mimmo Piepoli, a 39-year-old from Erechie in Brindisi, Italy, vanished while kitesurfing in the waters off Porto Cesareo on May 1. Despite an extensive search effort launched shortly after his disappearance, no sign of the experienced surfer was found.
Italian officials provided an update stating that a body, dressed in a wetsuit with a tablet attached, was found on a beach in Benghazi, Libya, potentially belonging to the missing Piepoli.
The Italian Consulate General in Benghazi reported collaborating with Libyan authorities to identify the remains discovered at sea. According to the consulate, the body was found with equipment that seemed to belong to Mimmo Piepoli, who went missing during a kitesurfing trip in Puglia on May 1.
The consulate mentioned that Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, along with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Erechie’s mayor Giuseppe Margheriti, are in contact with the missing surfer’s family.
Despite the advanced state of decomposition of the remains, officials refrained from definitively confirming that they belong to Mr. Piepoli. They emphasized that DNA testing by Libyan authorities would be necessary for identification.
The consulate stated, “The necessary investigations for identifying the body are ongoing. Confirmation of identity will only be possible through DNA testing.
“To facilitate this, the Consulate General has formally requested Libyan authorities to proceed with the required procedures for examination and is closely monitoring the case, including potential repatriation of the body.” If the remains are confirmed to be of Mr. Piepoli, they would have traveled hundreds of miles from Italy to Libya.
Prior to the discovery of the body, Mr. Piepoli’s partner expressed her anguish on social media about not hearing from him for two months, lamenting the absence of his presence and voice.
