Police appeal for help identifying body washed up in sailing jacket

POLICE have appealed for help to identify a woman whose body was discovered on a popular beach in Cornwall on New Year’s Day.

The woman, who is estimated to be aged between 50 and 70 years old, was wearing a sailing jacket but had no personal belongings with her and did not match any missing person reports. Devon and Cornwall Police said they were called to Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth at about 10.50am on Jan 1 after walkers on the beach spotted the body at the water’s edge.

Falmouth Coastguard Rescue Team, the RNLI and South Western Ambulance Service, all assisted in the recovery of the body. The force described the woman as being of medium build with short grey hair. She was wearing blue corduroy trousers, blue leather flatsoled ankle boots with zips on the inside, a blue sailing jacket and a red woollen top underneath.

Police said there were no distinguishing marks or tattoos and she was not wearing jewellery or carrying any personal items that could help identify her.

The authorities are trying to establish if the woman had fallen overboard from a boat or if she may have been blown into the water and drowned while walking along the coast.

Elizabeth and Jonathan Wood, who had been staying near the seafront, described how the discovery was made hours after hundreds of people had gathered on the beach to see in the New Year. “It looked like everyone was enjoying themselves, even though there were not any fireworks, then in the morning, we saw police cars and an ambulance rushing towards the beach,” they said.

Cherilyn Mackrory, the MP for Falmouth and Truro said: “I have been made aware, a body has been found on Gyllyngvase beach. My thoughts go out to the relatives and friends of the woman who has passed. I am hopeful the police will identify the woman and the situation can be fully investigated.”

The cause of death remains unknown and Devon and Cornwall Police urge anyone that can identify the woman or wants to report anyone as missing that matches the description, to contact the force.