Man (49) Found Dead in Tunnel at Beernem Station
A 49-year-old man was found dead in a pedestrian tunnel under the platform at Beernem station in West Flanders, Belgium, on Friday evening. Emergency services attempted to resuscitate the victim, but all help came too late, according to Het Laatste Nieuws.
Discovery and Emergency Response
The body was discovered just before 5 PM at the bottom of the stairs of the station tunnel by passersby. Police and medical emergency services were immediately dispatched to the scene. Despite resuscitation efforts, the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
The tunnel was subsequently closed for several hours to allow investigators to conduct their necessary examinations, as reported by KW.be.
Investigation Underway
A forensic doctor has been appointed to determine the precise cause of death. The medical examiner must establish whether the death was natural, accidental, or whether other causes played a role, according to OpenNieuws.
The public prosecutor’s office (parket) has confirmed the investigation is ongoing. “Het onderzoek is lopende” (“The investigation is ongoing”), the prosecutor’s office stated.
The victim’s identity has not yet been publicly released. Local media, including Het Nieuws van West-Vlaanderen and Focus-WTV, report that more details about the circumstances of the death are not yet available.
Potential Connection to Missing Person Case
The discovery comes just days after police issued a search notice for Chris Tanghe, a 49-year-old man who went missing from the psychiatric center Sint-Amandus in Beernem on Monday, August 10. The missing man was described as approximately 1m85 tall with a slender build, short greying hair, a stubble beard, and was last seen wearing a T-shirt, shorts, and walking shoes.
While the coincidence of age and location is notable, authorities have not officially confirmed whether the man found at the station is the same person as the missing individual. This potential connection requires official confirmation.
About Beernem Station
Station Beernem is an unstaffed railway stop along line 50A (Brussels-Ostend) in the municipality of Beernem, West Flanders. The station features four platforms (three in use) connected by a pedestrian tunnel, according to Wikipedia. The station underwent significant infrastructure works in recent years, including the demolition of the original 1890 station building in 2017 to accommodate additional tracks between Ghent and Bruges.
What’s Next
The forensic examination will be crucial in determining the circumstances surrounding the man’s death. Authorities have not indicated any suspicion of criminal activity at this stage, though the investigation remains open. Further details are expected to emerge as the forensic doctor’s findings are released and the investigation progresses.