Lorraine Williamson
A Belgian woman who had been missing for several days in Fuerteventura has been found dead at a landfill site in Puerto del Rosario, in a case that has shocked the island’s international community.
The woman has been identified in Spanish and Belgian reporting as Katty Oosterlinck, a 56-year-old Belgian resident who lived in Corralejo, in the north of the island. She had been missing since Monday, 4 May, after relatives and friends lost contact with her.
Spanish media report that her son has been detained in connection with the case. However, the Guardia Civil has so far confirmed only the identity of the deceased and has not released full details because the investigation remains under judicial secrecy.
At a glance
- A Belgian woman missing in Fuerteventura has been found dead at the Zurita landfill site.
- She has been identified in reports as Katty Oosterlinck, 56, a resident of Corralejo.
- She had been missing since Monday, 4 May.
- Her son has reportedly been detained in connection with the case.
- The Guardia Civil has not released full details because the investigation is under judicial secrecy.
Search for missing Corralejo resident ended at landfill
The disappearance sparked concern in Corralejo after friends, family and neighbours said they had been unable to contact Oosterlinck. Local media reported that a citizen search had been organised, while the Guardia Civil continued its official investigation.
Dunas FM reported last week that those close to her had urged people not to spread rumours or unconfirmed theories on social media, saying false claims were causing further distress to the family. The same appeal asked anyone with relevant information to contact the Guardia Civil.
The body was found on Friday 8 May at the Zurita environmental complex, a waste treatment site in Puerto del Rosario. EFE-based reporting said Guardia Civil investigators had sought cooperation from the Cabildo de Fuerteventura to access the landfill during the search.
Son reportedly detained as investigation continues
Several Spanish outlets, citing local reporting by Canarias7 and La Provincia, have said the woman’s son was detained as the alleged suspect in the case. Belgian news agency Belga also reported that a 22-year-old son had been arrested on suspicion of murder.
However, the Guardia Civil’s Las Palmas command has not publicly confirmed the full circumstances of the death. It has declined to give further information because the case is under secreto de sumario, the Spanish legal restriction that limits public disclosure while a judge-supervised investigation is active.
The body has been transferred for forensic examination. The official cause of death has not been made public, and investigators have not yet released a confirmed timeline of what happened between the woman’s disappearance and the discovery of her body.
Reports describe a deeply disturbing discovery
Some Spanish and international reports have described the body as having been found in remains or dismembered. However, because the Guardia Civil has not publicly detailed the condition of the body, the most responsible wording is to say that media reports describe a disturbing discovery at the landfill, while the official circumstances remain under investigation.
The discovery has caused particular shock in Corralejo, where Oosterlinck was known and where volunteers had joined efforts to locate her. The town, popular with both residents and visitors, has a large international community.
Fuerteventura case remains under judicial secrecy
The investigation is now in the hands of the Guardia Civil and the courts. Forensic results are expected to play a central role in establishing the cause and timing of death.
For now, the confirmed facts are limited. A Belgian woman who disappeared in Fuerteventura has been found dead at the Zurita landfill. Her son has reportedly been detained. The official cause of death has not been released.
Until the judicial secrecy is lifted, further details are likely to emerge slowly. That means caution is essential, particularly around claims circulating on social media.