The body of the missing skipper has been found in the barge that sank in Dendermonde last week. Acting mayor Leen Dierick confirms this. An autopsy will now be performed. The remains of one of the two dogs were also discovered yesterday.
The vessel, which was loaded with bricks, was partly pulled above the water. However, the strong current on the Scheldt and the tides make the salvage operation a complex task.
The bargeman and his two dogs had been missing since the ship sank in Grembergen (Dendermonde) last Monday. He was accompanied by a sixteen-year-old German Shepherd and a two-year-old Chihuahua.
sniffer dogs
A large-scale search was launched after the accident. Sniffer dogs combed the banks, a police helicopter examined the water surface with heat sensors. Then the captain was not yet found.
The ship sank rapidly. What exactly happened is still not entirely clear.
Detour
Yesterday, 57 people were deployed for the operation. Shipping is prohibited during the salvage operation. It will probably last until Friday. The family is assisted by the police victim support service.
Most inland vessels that have to navigate the Scheldt via Grembergen take a detour during salvage. Both pleasure and commercial shipping are not allowed between kilometer point 41 and 42.1. Both professional and pleasure craft pass on the sailing route.
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