The body of a 27-year-old man who had been missing since Wednesday was discovered inside his car, submerged in the Charleroi-Brussels Canal on Friday afternoon, police said. The discovery brings a somber finish to a multi-day search effort.
Jonathan Patte was last seen leaving his workplace in Soignies on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, around noon. Authorities issued a missing person’s alert after he failed to return home or contact family and friends.
Investigators focused their search on the Ronquières area after obtaining the last known geolocation data from Patte’s cell phone. The search ultimately led them to a towpath accessible via Rue des Bas Rouges in Écaussinnes-d’Enghien, near the Ronquières inclined plane.
Près du plan incliné
On Friday afternoon, search teams located a gray 1999 Renault Clio, registered as 2-FWL-315, matching the description of the vehicle Patte was driving. The car was found submerged in the canal.
Emergency responders recovered Patte’s body from inside the vehicle. Preliminary findings suggest he had been deceased for several days, likely shortly after his disappearance on Wednesday. The case underscores the tragic consequences of missing person investigations and the challenges of locating individuals quickly.
The investigation was initiated at the request of the Charleroi prosecutor’s office, according to reports.
