Headless body identified as missing journo

STOCKHOLM: The torso of a woman found floating in Danish waters is that of a Swedish journalist who authorities believe died aboard an inventor’s homemade submarine, police said yesterday.

“The DNA of the torso matches that of Kim Wall ( pix),” Danish police tweeted, saying details would be given at a news conference later in the day.

The female torso, with the head and limbs deliberately cut off, was found on Monday in Koge Bay, around 50km south of Copenhagen.

The 30-year-old, a freelance journalist who had reported for The Guardian and The New York Times, had not been seen since boarding Danish inventor Peter Madsen’s submarine on Aug 10 to interview him. She was reported missing a day later. The same day, Madsen was rescued from waters between Denmark and Sweden shortly before his submarine sank.

Madsen initially told authorities that he dropped Wall off on an island late on the evening of Aug 10. But he changed his story days later when he appeared in court, saying Wall died in an accident on board and that he dumped the body at sea in the Koge Bay.

Police have since said they believe Madsen, 46, “deliberately” sank the sub.

It was brought to the surface and searched, but found to be empty.

Investigators are not convinced by Madsen’s latest account and suspect him of negligent manslaughter. – AFP