Swimmer found dead in FINA Open Water swimming event
45-year old Nick Mellett who was competing in the 38th aQuelle Midmar Mile race has been found dead.
Mellet was reported missing after the second event at the race on Saturday, when his transponder did not register at the finishing line. Events were delayed for a short notice, but with the permission of Mellet’s family, they were resumed.
Meanwhile, a search team comprising of eight South African navy divers and ten police divers was formed to locate the swimmer. Member of the search team, Jack Haskins, said that they had trouble in locating the whereabouts of the body as the dam was big
and the water level was high. Moreover, no one saw Mellet struggling in the water, which added to their difficulty in locating the body.
The Johannesburg resident’s body remained under the surface of water for three days. His body was recovered in the dam on Wednesday.
“I can confirm that the body has been found. I don't know how it was recovered. You will have to speak to the guy who found the body,” Race Director Wayne Riddin said.
While the real cause of his death is not certain, it is believed that Mellet might have suffered a heart attack, and is believed to have drowned.
Riddin has passed his sympathies to Mellet’s family.
"Now we will have to be patient to allow the investigation into the real cause of his death to take place," he said.
This is the second death under a FINA organised open water swimming event in two years.
The situation is very similar to Fran Cripper’s death last year at a FINA Open Water Swimming event, held in Dubai. Cripper was the champion of Pan American games and won a bronze medal in 2009 World Championships. His absence was first noticed by his fellow
US swimmer, Alex Meyer at the finish line, who then started searching for him with other participants of the race. Cripper’s body was found two hours after the men’s race finished by deep sea divers.
The Midmar Mile, being conducted at Midmar Dam near KwaZulu-Natal is the world’s largest race with the participation of more than 15000 swimmers in various categories. The event took place on 12th and 13th February 2011.
Tags: