Haiti's Soccer Delegation To The Special Olympics Goes Missing Midway Through Games

Six members of Haiti’s Special Olympics delegation reportedly mysteriously vanished midway through the competition that was being held in Florida on Monday, June 6.

According to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the missing men have been identified as Oriol Jean, 18; Anderson Petit-Frère, 18; Peter Mianovich Berlus, 19; Nicholson Fontilus, 20; Steevenson Jacquet, 24; and Antione Joseph Mithon, 34. They were reportedly last seen at around 2:30 p.m. on Monday, June 6, as the games got underway at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Kissimmee, Florida, New York Post reported.

The sheriff’s office stated that no foul play is suspected in their disappearance from the games' venue. The authorities added that all six of them had turned in the keys of their hotel rooms and left behind their luggage before they went missing.

"All of them turned in their room keys, and left behind their personal bags and belongings," the Osceola County Sheriff's Office said.

"To expand the reach and effectiveness of law enforcement’s efforts to locate these individuals, they have been reported as missing persons," the Special Olympics' U.S. organizers revealed in a statement.

According to officials from the Osceola County Sheriff's Office, all six missing men were scheduled to participate in the games' soccer competition. One among the six is an athlete and the five others are part of Haiti's delegation to the games, NBC News reported.

The organizers added that the well-being of the delegates is their foremost concern and stated that the reason for their departure from the Games is currently unknown.

About more than 5,500 athletes and coaches from the U.S. and Caribbean nations are represented in the Special Olympics that reportedly began on Sunday, June 5, and runs through June 12 in and around Orlando.

Petit-Frère, one of the soccer players that went missing, got featured on Team Haiti’s Instagram account last week.

“My name is Anderson Petit-Frère, I am from Port-au-Prince and I am 18 years old,” Petit-Frère wrote before coming for the games.

“I am an unified player and I am part of the Special Olympics Haiti unified soccer team. It’s a big joy and honor to be part of that team. I will do my best to help the athletes in the USA Games Orlando 2022,” he added.