Palavas-les-Flots: Lifeless Body Found Following Disappearance of Teenager at Sea

A day after the disappearance of a 13-year-old boy in Palavas-les-Flots (Hérault), a lifeless body was found on Monday, April 21, around 12:15 p.m., at a depth of about two meters near the entrance to the port, the Maritime Prefecture of the Mediterranean announced. Although the identity has not yet been formally confirmed, the body matches the description of the boy reported missing the previous day. Search operations, launched on Sunday afternoon, have now concluded. The investigation is being led by the Hérault gendarmerie under the authority of the Montpellier public prosecutor’s office.

A Tragedy Amid Rough Seas

The teenager had gone swimming with his two brothers on Sunday, April 20, around 4:20 p.m., near the mouth of the Lez River. Twenty minutes later, when he failed to return, his family alerted the authorities. According to initial reports, the family was swept away by a wave. While his parents managed to make it back to shore, the boy remained missing.

An extensive rescue operation was immediately launched, involving a helicopter, divers, watercraft, and canine teams. The search, which had been suspended overnight, resumed at dawn on Monday. A psychological support unit has also been made available to the family.

Weather conditions on Sunday were particularly hazardous. Strong winds had stirred up rough seas, with waves reportedly reaching up to three meters. As early as the previous day, the Hérault prefecture had issued warnings urging caution along the coastline.