The investigation into the disappearance of Bison Dele, his girlfriend, and skipper led to the discovery of the Hakuna Matata off the coast of Tahiti with its nameplate removed and signs of a struggle, but the trio was never found.
Former NBA player Bison Dele’s love for sailing and diving led him on a months-long voyage across the Pacific with his girlfriend and skipper. But concerns were raised when the trio failed to contact their banks or family members regularly.
What followed was a bizarre turn of events involving forgery and murder suspicions that led authorities to search for evidence to piece together the truth. Although their bodies were never found, their story remains a haunting mystery.
Where Was Bison Dele Found?
On July 6, 2002, Bison Dele, his girlfriend Serena Karlan, and skipper Bertrand Saldo set sail from Tahiti on Dele’s catamaran, the Hakuna Matata. Dele had spent much of his retirement from basketball pursuing his love of sailing and diving.
Likewise, the trio was on a months-long voyage across the Pacific. The last satellite phone call from the voyage was made on July 8, after which Dele and Karlan did not keep in regular contact with their banks or family members, which raised concerns.
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On July 20, Miles Dabord, Dele’s older brother, brought the boat into Tahiti, and he was alone aboard the vessel. Mexican Police later found that Dabord had been staying at a hotel in Tijuana, Mexico.
Two days before, the Hakuna Matata, registered in Tahiti under another name, was found off the coast of Tahiti with its nameplate removed and some possible bullet holes patched.
French authorities became involved in the investigation, but Dabord had fled the country. The FBI issued a warrant for his arrest for passport fraud.
For months, the whereabouts of Dele, Karlan, and Saldo were unknown. But as the investigation unfolded, a clearer picture of what happened emerged.
In September 2002, the FBI used a sting operation organized by Dele’s family and friends to detain Dabord. Dabord had forged Dele’s signature to buy $152,000 worth of gold under his brother’s name, using Dele’s passport as identification.
It was a strange and inexplicable move, but it helped confirm the suspicion that Dabord was involved in the trio’s disappearance. The FBI and French authorities concluded that Dele, Karlan, and Saldo were probably murdered.
The bodies were likely dumped in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, so it would be doubtful that the three would ever be found. Nevertheless, authorities searched for evidence to help them piece together what happened.
They found a bullet hole in the floor of the boat’s cabin and other signs of a struggle.
Bison Dele Death Cause And Obituary
Debord was the only first-person source of information regarding the case. In his account of events, Dabord said he and his brother had fought and that Karlan had been accidentally hit and died when her head struck part of the boat.
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When Saldo wanted to report her death, a panicked Dele killed him. Dabord shot his brother in self-defense, threw the bodies overboard, and fled back to the U.S.
It is not known if his story is true, as that wouldn’t explain why Dabord allegedly threw all three bodies overboard and subsequently overdosed on insulin purposely instead of explaining to authorities what had happened if that were all true.
Dabord intentionally overdosed on insulin and slipped into a coma. On September 27, 2002, Dabord died in a California hospital. After his death, officials did not expect to find much more regarding the case.
