Foot Found in River Identified as Missing Teen Yoran Krol

A foot discovered in a branch of the Beneden-Merwede River has been identified as belonging to Yoran Krol, a 16-year-ancient who went missing in December 2023, Dutch police announced Friday . The discovery brings a somber development to a case that has spanned over two and a half years.

Timeline of Disappearance and Findings

Yoran Krol was last seen on the night of December 23, 2023, at a youth center in Almkerk . The following day, his bicycle was found on the Merwedebrug near Gorinchem, approximately 10 kilometers away. Weeks later, his jacket was recovered from the Merwede River near Papendrecht .

Search Efforts and Lack of Foul Play

Extensive search efforts were undertaken following Yoran’s disappearance, including a large-scale citizen search in January 2024 involving around 2,500 people – the largest such search in Dutch history . Despite these efforts, Yoran’s body was never found. Police had previously indicated they believed Yoran likely entered the river and drowned due to the strong currents .

Authorities have stated there are no indications of foul play in connection with Yoran’s disappearance or the discovery of his foot .

Similar Case in Vlaardingen

This incident echoes a similar case from August 2025, where a foot in a shoe was found in a canal in Vlaardingen. That foot was later identified as belonging to a 42-year-old man from Delft who had been missing since June 2022. Police also found no signs of foul play in that instance .

The shoe containing Yoran’s foot was discovered by a passerby and police have not released the exact location of the find .