Ridha Ayachi, head of the Tunisian weightlifting delegation participating in the Mediterranean Games “Taranto 2026,” confirmed that the weightlifter Mohamed Amine Bouhajba had disappeared at Rome airport just a few minutes before the departure of a domestic flight to Brindisi airport, which was meant to transport the Tunisian delegation members to the city of Taranto.
Ayachi explained, in a statement to the Tunis Afrique Presse (TAP) Agency, that the delegation, composed of three coaches and five other weightlifters, had arrived on Friday at Rome airport from Tunis. The group stayed there for nearly four hours before heading to the boarding hall, then queuing to board the plane bound for Brindisi.
Mohamed Amine Bouhajba, however, did not join the rest of the delegation, without anyone noticing at first. His absence was only effectively noticed once aboard the plane, after the crew intervened and reported that a passenger was missing from the call.
Ayachi, who also holds the position of coach of the women’s team, added that due to the lack of time and the need to respect takeoff protocol, it had not been possible to conduct extensive searches to locate the athlete.
Upon arrival at Brindisi airport, the Tunisian Weightlifting Federation, represented by its president Aref Brini, was informed of the incident.
The head of the delegation stressed that this disappearance had caused astonishment among all members of the group, Mohamed Amine Bouhajba having shown no intention to disappear during the entire preparation period, nor in the minutes preceding his absence from boarding at Rome airport.
He also expressed his regrets in light of this incident, highlighting Bouhajba’s technical qualities, who, according to him, had real chances of standing on the podium at the Taranto Games.
For remembrance, Mohamed Amine Bouhajba was to compete in the 65 kg category in Taranto. He had already won two bronze medals at the Oran 2022 Mediterranean Games, as well as three bronze medals at the Ismailia 2026 African Championships.
