Fred has been missing since the beginning of the week after trying to save his dogs — © Facebook/RECHERCHE FRED SAMBRE/GoogleMaps
Since Tuesday, a search has been going on along the Sambre for Frédéric, a 51-year-old man who fell into the water while trying to save his dogs. Since then there has been no trace.
Frédéricen Angélique wanted to go for a walk along the Sambre in Thuin on Tuesday. A walk they wanted to do with their dogs, who have difficulty walking. And so they took the dog stroller with them to enjoy a walk along the water with their four-legged friends.
But when Frédéric wanted to put the dogs in, the car turned out to have no brakes, so it continued towards the water. In an attempt to save the animals, Frédéric fell into the water with them. A few meters further he finally disappeared into the water.
600 members
A helicopter, a boat and divers were quickly deployed, but more than five days later there is still no trace of the man in his fifties. The search is difficult because the current of the Sambre is very strong. But the longer it takes, the smaller the chance of finding Fred – as Angélique calls him – alive. Fred is also said to be in poorer health and has already suffered several strokes. The water is also very cold right now and there is also a chance that he hit his head on a rock.
However, his wife Angélique continues to hope for good news. She started a group on Facebook “Recherche Fred Sambre” in which she shares information about the search. In it she asks the people in the group – which now has more than 600 members – to mobilize.
“Don’t hesitate to keep an eye on the banks of the Sambre if you happen to be walking past. We really need people who are committed, even if it is just for 1 hour, it would mean a lot to us,” she wrote last night.
In a comment on Facebook, the woman also responded that she walks past the site of the incident every day, hoping to find her husband. A search operation was also organized on Saturday with a walk along the water. But because few people showed up, no search has yet been scheduled for Sunday, according to one of the messages.