PE dog Misty discovers body of missing French Ironman athlete

Port Elizabeth police dog Misty, from the canine unit, picked up a scent that led to the discovery of missing French triathlete David Bellet-Brissaud’s body from the local harbour on Thursday.

Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said divers had been searching the harbour since 10am on Thursday after new video footage came to light in the case of Bellet-Brissaud, who had been missing for a week.

After viewing additional CCTV footage at the harbour, police diverted their search to another section of the port.

Warrant Officer Etienne Gerber and Paul Franks searched the area with their dogs in a rubber duck. While circling an area in the bay, Gerber’s dog Misty immediately reacted to a scent, said Naidu.

Bellet-Brissaud’s brother and sister arrived in Port Elizabeth this week and had offered a reward of R12 000 for information on their brother’s whereabouts.

Naidu said that within 10 minutes of entering the water, Bellet-Brissaud’s body was found.

His body had been kept below the surface of the water by a tyre tied with a rope to his feet.

Last Thursday, Bellet-Brissaud and his wife from Gabon booked into Port Elizabeth’s Paxton hotel for his participation in the Ironman Africa Championship.

After settling in, the couple took a walk on the beachfront and later dined with friends participants at the Boardwalk complex, police said at the time.

The triathlete went missing on Friday from the Paxton Hotel.

Police said the couple retired to their room at about 9pm, and that at about 1am,  Bellet-Brissaud’s wife woke up and noticed that her husband was not in the room.

Bellet-Brissaud‘s brother Gael identified his body on Thursday afternoon.

– African News Agency (ANA)