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Skeleton wearing wetsuit washes up on Mediterranean beach

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Story from Jam Press (Missing Kitesurfer Skeleton) Pictured: Mimmo Piepoli. Skeleton found encased in wetsuit may be kitesurfer who vanished in Med two months earlier A skeleton found still wearing a wetsuit and attached to a kiteboard may be the remains of a kitesurfer who went missing more than two months ago. The remains were recovered off the coast of Daryanah, in Libya's Benghazi district, on Saturday (4 July). A fisherman spotted the body in the water and raised the alarm. Although the victim has not yet been formally identified, Italian authorities believe it is Mimmo Piepoli. The wetsuit the remains were still encased in, along with the kiteboard, closely matches the equipment used by the 39-year-old from Erchie, Italy. Mimmo, who was married and the father of two children, was passionate about the sea and water sports. He disappeared on 1 May while kitesurfing off Porto Cesareo, more than 500 miles from where the body was found. He had gone out with a group of friends, returned to shore after losing his kite in the strong northerly winds, then headed back out on to the water. Witnesses later saw him struggling before he disappeared beneath the waves, as reported by NeedToKnow. The initial search, coordinated by the Italian Coast Guard, covered an area of around 250 square kilometres (97 square miles). Aircraft, including an Italian Navy helicopter, were also deployed. In the following days, the search was expanded with divers and aircraft, but the only trace of Mimmo recovered was his inflatable kite, found tangled around rocks a few days later. The body has been taken to hospital for DNA testing to establish the victim's identity. Italy's Scientific Committee for Missing Persons Searches said: "We hope the family will soon receive confirmation, however painful it may be." ENDS EDITOR?S NOTES Quotations have been translated to English. Fair Dealing / Fair Use: In limited cases, Jam Press may distribute material under fair dealing/fair use principles for legitimate editorial reporting purposes. Jam Press accepts responsibility for licensed editorial publisher usage only. Any additional client usage, including use across owned social media channels, commercial marketing or non-editorial purposes, remains the responsibility of the client.
Although the victim has not yet been formally identified, Italian authorities believe it is Mimmo Piepoli (Picture: Jam Press)

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 a kite surfer who went missing two months ago.

Italian Mimmo Piepoli, 39, vanished while kitesurfing off Porto Cesareo – more than 500 miles from where the body was found.

Although formal identification has yet to take place, authorities in Rome believe it to be Mr Piepoli.

The married father-of-two was passionate about the sea and water sports.

He had gone out with a group of friends on May 1 and disappeared later that day.

Mimmo, who was married and the father of two children, was passionate about the sea and water sports (Picture: Jam Press)
He disappeared on May 1 while kitesurfing off Porto Cesareo, more than 500 miles from where the body was found (Picture: Jam Press)

The surfer had briefly returned to shore after losing his kite in the strong northerly winds before heading back out on to the water.

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 as part of the search.

In the following days, the operation was expanded with divers and aircraft.

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But the only trace of Mr Piepoli recovered was his inflatable kite, found tangled around rocks a few days later.

The recovered remains have been taken to hospital for DNA testing to establish the identity.

Italy’s Scientific Committee for Missing Persons Searches said: ‘We hope the family will soon receive confirmation, however painful it may be.’

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