Beach chairs, Eastern Scheldt, Ouwerkerk, Schouwen-duiveland, Zeeland

Beach chairs looking out on the Eastern Scheldt from along the Nieuwendijk in Ouwerkerk, Schouwen-duiveland, Zeeland. July 2018 - Credit: photo: joophoek / DepositPhotos

Monday, 5 July 2021 - 18:35

Body found near Breskens believed to be missing swimmer

A body was found along the coast near Breskens on Monday morning, Omroep Zeeland reported. The discovery occurred just after the official search for a 23-year-old missing swimmer in the same area had ended.

The man is said to have disappeared when he went for a swim during the overnight period between Sunday and Monday. He was reported as missing by his girlfriend.

The police on Monday afternoon could not yet confirm whether the body was that of the missing swimmer.

A major search was immediately launched, involving the Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution (KNRM) and the Coast Guard. A police helicopter was also deployed.

The search was called off at 6:39 a.m. "The chance of survival was so small that it was no longer useful to search further," said a police spokesperson. The body emerged just 20 minutes later.

"It may be the missing swimmer who was searched for by various authorities last night. However, the man had no ID on him," Zeeland police said on Twitter.