The body found in mid-February in the Mediterranean near Barcelona (Spain) is that of Ayoub Ziane, 24, missing since December 28. Originally from Lunel (Hérault), the young man had gone to sea at the controls of a sea scooter from the port of Grau-du-Roi (Gard). He was accompanied by Joséphine Rodriguez, 40, and her son Mike, 13, still missing at the moment.
The body of Ayoub Ziane, in a state of advanced decomposition after a long stay at sea, was identified thanks to DNA analyzes carried out this week by the Spanish authorities. The results were transmitted to the Nîmes prosecution and then, Friday evening, to the family of the young man, married and father of two young children. Since the beginning of the week, the outcome of this identification made little doubt. Scooter registration papers had indeed been found on the body inside a suit similar to that worn by Ayoub on the day of his disappearance.
"Their bodies must have drifted like that of Ayoub"
The investigation, entrusted since the end of December to the Vauvert (Gard) research brigade, is continuing. First to find the track of the other two passengers on the jet ski. And then to understand how Ayoub Ziane's body could drift over such a distance and under what conditions. The Grau-du-Roi and Barcelona are separated as the crow flies by almost 300 km and the scooter had a maximum range of around 50 km.
"At the start of the week, I will request the opening of judicial information to determine the causes of death," said Patrick Gontard, the Ziane family's lawyer. In the family of Joséphine and Mike, members of the settled traveler community in Saint-Laurent d'Aigouze (Gard), we are now preparing for the worst. "Until now, I still clung to the hope that my mother and my brother will be found alive," breathes Violette Demeter. They may have been kidnapped and kidnapped somewhere. But since yesterday ( Editor's note: Friday February 21 ), I know there is no longer any chance. Their bodies must have drifted like that of Ayoub. We are just waiting for them to be found. ”