Galway gardai are continuing their efforts to establish the identity of a body found washed up on the rocks of a Lettermullen beach last week with assistance now being sought from international police organisation Interpol.
Officers have been trawling through missing person files and conducting a number of enquiries in order to identify the body of man discovered by a person out walking at Tra Dhireann in Huston, Lettermullen, last Thursday at around 3pm.
A spokesperson for Galway Garda Station yesterday confirmed that efforts to establish an identity have been hindered as the body is believed to have been in the water for up to seven days and due to the level of disfigurement.
The male had been found washed up on the rocks at the beach and because of difficulties in retrieving the body the Shannon Coastguard was called in to give assistance. The body was then taken to University Hospital Galway where a post mortem was carried out by state pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy the following day. Although the findings of the post mortem are not yet complete, the Garda spokesperson confirmed that the death of the man is not being treated as suspicious.
The public’s assistance is being sought to help identify the man whose age ranges from 20 to 40 and is six feet two inches in height, of average build. When found, he had been wearing white runners, blue Primark jeans, and a Ralph Lauren check shirt. Anyone with information is asked to contact Galway Garda Station on 091 538000.
Meanwhile, gardai are not treating as suspicious the death of an elderly man who had been reported missing in the Tuam area this week.
The man was reported missing by a family member at 11.30pm on Tuesday after he failed to return from a walk in the Sylane area of Tuam. The Shannon Rescue Helicopter was tasked at 4am yesterday to carry out a land search, and a ground search co-ordinated by gardai and assisted by local volunteers later resumed the same morning.
Galway Garda Station has confirmed that the body of the 80-year-old missing man was found at 9.30am yesterday on a section of bog which had belonged to him. A spokesperson said it was first thought that the man might have gone visiting neighbours during one of his regular walks but concern grew when he failed to return home. He added that it is believed the man may have been inspecting that section of his bogland when he became ill and passed away.
