Some sad news...

Officials seek cause of death of man found in river

FLORIDA TODAY

An autopsy will be conducted by the medical examiner today to determine the cause of death for a man pulled from the Indian River Lagoon near Titusville.

Brevard County sheriff's investigators were also trying to confirm whether the body matched the description of a man reported missing Sunday in Titusville, officials said.

The body surfaced about 400 yards south of the NASA Parkway on Tuesday, officials said.

The Brevard County sheriff's helicopter also was called out to conduct a search in the area. Four men fishing for redfish found the body, officials said.

The man reported missing had blue eyes and brown hair and was attending Helicopter Adventures Inc. at Space Coast Regional Airport before his disappearance, officials said.

The autopsy, to be carried out at the medical examiner's office in Rockledge, could determine if the person recovered was a drowning victim or if foul play was involved.

May 21, 2005

Body found floating in Indian River is identified

FLORIDA TODAY

Police have identified a body found in the Indian River Lagoon earlier this week as that of a Danish man in Brevard County training to fly helicopters at a North Brevard flight school.

Benny W. Kriastiansen, who lived on Windover Oak Court, last was seen about 1 a.m. Sunday at the Holiday Inn in Titusville when a friend called a cab for him.

Fishermen discovered his body Tuesday, one day after a missing-person report was filed.

The cause of death is unknown, and autopsy results are pending.

His name is Benny and he lived just above our apartment and would frequently chat to us and wave as he passed by our apartment. He attended the JAA helicopter program. He was a really nice guy from Denmark.
Unfortunately he got very drunk on Saturday night and the rest of the night has yet to be determined.
Ben.