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Human remains have been found in the Ems-Vechte Canal near Nordhorn.
Photo: Christian Schock / dpa
Human remains have been found in the Ems-Vechte Canal near Nordhorn in Lower Saxony. The body parts were packed in several bags in the water, a police spokeswoman said on Sunday morning. Walkers found them on Saturday afternoon and emergency services finally rescued them from the water. According to initial findings, it is a male person.
After the first discovery, several dozen emergency services searched the area on land and water, the police spokeswoman said. Supported by the THW and the DLRG, divers, sonar boats and drones were also used. The onset of darkness on Saturday evening made work around the site in the Grafschaft Bentheim district more difficult. The search was therefore not yet complete on Sunday morning.
“We are investigating intensively in all directions”
A murder squad has been set up, but the investigation has only just begun, said the police spokeswoman. An autopsy of the body parts has also been ordered, but results are not expected for Sunday. With reference to investigative reasons and possible knowledge of the perpetrators, she did not provide any further details.
So it remained unclear for the time being how long the body parts had been floating in the water and whether the place where they were found was also where they were dumped. “It is still too early, we are investigating intensively in all directions,” said the spokeswoman. This also includes examining missing person reports for connections.
tgk/dpa