Preliminary autopsy results suggest that Frédérik Vanclooster, the 21-year-old student who disappeared in Vilvoorde after a New Year's Eve party, drowned.
Vanclooster was last seen in the early hours of New Year's Day at a party at an events venue in Vilvoorde. After days of searching that involved significant numbers of volunteers, the body of the 21-year-old student was discovered on Sunday morning in the water of the Brussels-Escaut canal.
There was no evidence as of Sunday to confirm that the student's death was suspicious, the Hal-Vilvorde public prosector's office confirmed at the time.
“Everything points to an unlucky fall,” said Procurator Ine Van Wymersch, adding that “there were no signs of violence on the body and the young man still had all his belongings in his possession."
While the preliminary autopsy results suggest that the 21-year-old student fell, drowned and was not subjected to violence, further microscopic and toxicological research is being carried out, Bruzz explains.
The city of Vilvoorde, in consultation with Vanclooster's parents, opened a mourning register on Monday at 3:30 PM where anybody can leave a message about the 21-year-old man.
Evie McCullough
The Brussels Times
