UK UK - Salcombe, Devon, WhtMale, 20-40, in waterproof wetsuit, Sept'21

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Al Ka

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New police appeal on Twitter and FB by Missing Person Unit, which is department of NCA (National Crime Agency) for UK unidentified:

Can you help Hampshire Police to identify a male who was found deceased in the English Channel on 23/09/2021? For further information, please see http://www.missingpersons.police.uk/en-gb/case/21-006966

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Link to appeal on twitter: https://twitter.com/UKMissingPerson/status/1448582673283362817
and on FB: Log into Facebook
 
Case Details: Case 21-006966

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Gender - male
Age range - 20 - 40
Ethnicity - white european
Height - 175cm (5 ft 8 ins)
Build - medium
Eye colour - Unknown

Date found - 23 September 2021
Estimated death - 23 September 2021
Body or remains - body

Circumstances
Deceased male found floating in the English Channel 46 miles SW of Salcombe, Devon.

Distinguishing features - Peculiarity - teeth - Capped lower tooth right side of mouth

Clothing
footwear - black - Neoprene waterproof shoes size 9
gloves - black - Slinx Neoprene gloves in medium (waterproof)
hose - socks - black - Slinx Neoprene waterproof socks
black - unknown - Wetsuit - ZCCO wetsuit with diagonal zip, full length (medium)

Link - UK Missing Persons Unit
 
So question is would that be diver or surfer? While I was visiting UK south coast and by chance some surfing competition was happening, many were wearing similar attire. Mind you it was quite cold and very windy, so I am not sure if it is usual for them to wear full body wetsuits and also I don't remember if any of them wore gloves.

Not sure either if someone diving would wear gloves.

At this point I lean on more for this to be lone surfer as those who dive rarely dive alone. And if he would have been with someone, it would likely have been reported. I am not familiar with either of the sports though so if anyone is, please feel free to chip in.
 
I once saw a clip from a British (I think) TV show about sea rescues where two men jumped off a boat in wet suits just before it docked to try and smuggle something in. It didn't go well for them but thankfully people on the boat had seen them and they were found and rescued. I'm wondering if this might be a similar situation that ended worse.
 
So question is would that be diver or surfer? While I was visiting UK south coast and by chance some surfing competition was happening, many were wearing similar attire. Mind you it was quite cold and very windy, so I am not sure if it is usual for them to wear full body wetsuits and also I don't remember if any of them wore gloves.

Not sure either if someone diving would wear gloves.

At this point I lean on more for this to be lone surfer as those who dive rarely dive alone. And if he would have been with someone, it would likely have been reported. I am not familiar with either of the sports though so if anyone is, please feel free to chip in.

Or just a wild swimmer. Wild sea swimmers commonly wear neoprene gloves and socks to prevent frostbite to the extremities. You would think the sea would be reasonably warm in September and the NCA bulletin does seem to suggest he died the same day he was found, so that surprises me a bit, but it's not my area of expertise.

It's odd no one has reported him missing.
 
Hampshire police.

Officers investigating the discovery of a body in the English Channel are appealing for information to help identify the person.

The body was found around 46 miles off the coast of Salcombe, Devon, and was brought to Southampton by a vessel on September 23.

The person was wearing a ZCCO full black wetsuit, with Slinx shoes and gloves.

From a post mortem, we believe the person is white, male, between 20 and 40 years old, around 5ft 9ins tall, with size 9 feet and dark hair on their legs and arms. There are no tattoos, scars or marks that we have identified.

We are not treating the death as suspicious at this time, but it is unexplained, and investigating officers are keen to speak with anyone who may be able to assist with identifying the person.

DI Howard Broadribb said: “We are working hard to understand who this person is and the exact circumstances of their death.

“I am sure that this person will have family and friends who have been extremely upset by their disappearance, and it is important to us to be able to locate them.

“The body was recovered by a vessel around 46 miles off the coast of Salcombe, Devon, in the English Channel.

“The person was wearing a black ZCCO wetsuit with a diagonal zip across the chest, black divers gloves marked with the name Slinx, and black divers socks and rubber-soled shoes, also marked Slinx.

“We are keeping an open mind as to where this person could be from, including being from a European country.

"We know from our initial enquiries that this is not one of the divers who had gone diving at HMS Scylla off the coast of Cornwall around one month ago.

“If a friend or family member, who was a keen diver or water sport enthusiast, is missing, then we want to hear from you as we continue our investigation.

“You can call 101, asking to speak with Hampshire Constabulary and quoting the reference 44210383426, or you can send a message to us online by going to Public Portal and using the same reference number.”
Log into Facebook
 
I wonder if they run for familial dna for unidentified bodies.
 
"Waterproof" is a Swedish brand that make high quality wetsuits. They're not actually waterproof in the classic sense, it's just the name.
They are quite pricey, well made and scuba divers tend to wear these.

He could be a diver that didn't surface, there have been a few of those this summer.

Though Salcombe is more famous for sailing than diving. BUT I'm not sure if you'd wear a wetsuit and neoprene gloves for sailing a small boat?

I'm going with a missing/lost diver.
 
Not sure either if someone diving would wear gloves.

Yes, they would.

I'm not sure the brand of wetsuit (Waterproof) is a surfer's wetsuit. They are made primarily for scuba diving.

Surfers tend to wear thinner, more flexible wetsuits and they don't tend to wear ones with diagonal zips. They wear O'Neill or Bodyglove....or other surf brand wetsuits cut for movement.

If he went missing in the summer up until September, then the sea temp in Devon is usually between 14°c to 20°c, so this person was dressed for diving.

A surfer generally wouldn't have worn such a thick wetsuit for these sea temperatures in the summer. Maybe Autumy, Winter and Spring.


A surfer is on the surface, paddling, blood flowing, adrenaline going, swimming, catching waves, staying warm.

A diver is submerged in the water and doesn't move the body much, so extra warmth is needed.
 
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Hampshire Police investigates body found off Salcombe coast | Daily Echo

DI Howard Broadribb said: “"We know from our initial enquiries that this is not one of the divers who had gone diving at HMS Scylla off the coast of Cornwall around one month ago."

Wow, 2 divers went missing while diving a wreck near in Salcombe a month before....and this is NOT one of them!
What were the chances. How many more can there be?

I do also wonder if the body is of a diver who may have gone missing in France?

A French lady who committed suicide in the ocean in North West France was found washed up on the coast in Dorset. So, it is possible bodies travel this far and I'm this direction.

Identified! - UK - Studland shore Dorset, Fem, dental work, Dec'18 - Gilberte Andree Elisabeth Pincemin
 
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They think this person's PMI was the same day he was found, namely 23/09/2021. Complete body, all body parts in tact, feet still there (water bodies who are decomposing and have been in the water for a long(er)time, most of the time loose their feet and they come ashore because of the shoes)

UK Missing Persons Unit

Date Found
23 September 2021
Estimated Death
23 September 2021

So how high are the changes this person is coming from an European country/the other site of the ocean with almost no time between PMI and found date? Would it be possible to flow from the mainland to the UK in one day? I really have no idea, but my feeling says no.

If we are talking miles do they mean sea miles or land miles? Sorry, if I missed that.
 
Just seen this man is no longer in the UK unidentified database, but can't find anything about him being identified anywhere
 

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