Tyre‚ rope submerged Ironman in harbour

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The body of missing Ironman contestant David Bellet-Brissaud has been found following an extensive search by police the past couple of days. Bellet-Brissaud, 48, of Gabon, disappeared without a trace from the Paxton Hotel in Humerail in the early hours of Friday (13/04/18). Police spokesperson Pricilla Naidu confirmed that his body was found at the Port Elizabeth Habour at approximately after 3pm on Thursday. "His brother Gael was at the scene and positively identified the body." Naidu said. CCTV footage emerged of Bellet-Brissaud walking into the harbour via the Baakens Road entrance at about 1:10am on Friday. New CCTV footage showed David in his adidas hoody walking on a different Jetty, close to where his body was found." "Two police dogs quickly identified that there was a body in the water and police divers found him within 30 minutes," Picture Eugene Coetzee/The Herald

The mystery of the missing Ironman triathlete took a tragic turn when his body was found in the Port Elizabeth harbour‚ weighted down with a tyre attached to a rope tied around his ankles.

The discovery of Gabonese sportsman David Bellet-Brissaud’s body was made after new CCTV footage was supplied by Transnet.

The footage‚ in which Bellet-Brissaud was identified by the Adidas marking on the arm of his top‚ also showed him on the opposite side of the harbour to where it was initially thought he had been.

The news has devastated his family. His brother‚ Gael‚ left the harbour in tears‚ accompanied by a police official‚ after formally identifying the body on Thursday afternoon.

An emotional and upset Gael asked last night for privacy for his family.

[pullquote]“Please‚ I want to beg for some time for our family now. It is a devastating time for us. We had a shock.”[/pullquote]

“Please‚ I want to beg for some time for our family now. It is a devastating time for us. We had a shock.”

The new footage showed that the police had been searching on the wrong side of the harbour after a man seen jumping between boats on CCTV footage was mistakenly identified as 48-year-old Bellet-Brissaud.

By: Estelle Ellis

The Herald https://www.heraldlive.co.za/news/2018-04-20-body-of-ironman-discovered-under-water-with-tyre-tied-to-ankles/

Source: TMG Digital.


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