Overview
- The body was discovered off Daryana, east of Benghazi, and local rescue teams say it was found wearing a wetsuit and attached to a surfboard that match the missing kitesurfer’s gear.
- Italian officials alerted the family and the Farnesina has asked Libyan authorities to begin formal DNA testing to establish whether the remains are those of Mimmo Piepoli.
- Piepoli went missing during a kitesurf session on May 1 after strong tramontana winds pushed him off Porto Cesareo and weeks of search operations by Italian agencies found no trace.
- Libyan rescuers transferred the skeletal remains to a hospital for legal and medical procedures while Italian consular staff coordinate with local authorities on identification and potential return of the body.
- If DNA confirms the identity the case will likely close a long search and underscore how Mediterranean currents can carry lost mariners long distances from their point of disappearance.