Body found on beach near Capel

Police now believe the body that washed up on the beach near Capel this morning is that of German backpacker Jan-Christian Bielenberg.

Mr Bielenberg's family say they are shocked and devastated by the discovery.

Although police are yet to formally identify the body, they released a statement from Mr Bielenberg's family that reads: "We would like to thank all those who helped search for our son. We are devastated by today's news as we had hoped he was safe and well."

Detective Sergeant Kylie Whiteley from Bunbury detectives said it was believed Mr Bielenberg drowned. There was no evidence of foul play.

Det-Sgt Whiteley said Mr Bielenberg was wearing just boxer shorts and socks when he was found shortly after 8am, by two women riding horses on the beach, 25km south of Bunbury.

The body was badly decomposed and would need to be formally identified through dental records, finger prints and DNA. The body had now been sent to Perth for autopsy.

Det-Sgt Whiteley said: "The family of Mr Bielenberg have been informed of the discovery and are understandably upset. They do not want to speak at this stage and have asked for privacy at this time."

Det-Sgt Whiteley said she hoped formal identification would happen within days.

“At this point in time the family are aware of what we have found, the family have asked for privacy and obviously are very devastated at what has happened,” she said.

“The obviously didn’t expect that this would be the sort of end.

“We have informed that them that we do believe the body to be that of their son, but we must also await those forensic results in the next few days.”
The 20-year-old German tourist has not been seen since July 30, when he was locked out of his room at the Dolphin Retreat Hostel and Lodge.The official search for the young man was called off on Monday after volunteers who searched beaches and bush around Bunbury failed to find any sign of him.Capel women Tiana Lintott and Sarah Stapleton, who work for horse trainer Ross Price, were riding horses on the beach 30km south of Bunbury, when they made grisly discovery yesterday.
The women said they saw something in the distance which looked like a box and rode towards it. Miss Stapleton said she looked down and realised she had discovered a body.
“We were just riding along the beach and our horses were swimming in the water, and saw something which was a box and were going to ride towards it, when we looked down and there was a body,” she said.