The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Body found in hunt for Liam
Family believe it to be 29-year-old
A body recovered from a German river during the extensive search for missing Inverness musician Liam Colgan had his driving licence in a jacket pocket, his heartbroken family have been told. The clothing also matched those the 29-yearold had been wearing when he was last seen in Hamburg 10 weeks ago during his brother Eamonn’s stag do.
Police in Germany are now investigating the cause of death as the formal process of identifying the body, recovered from the city’s River Elbe, continues.
The discovery, if confirmed as Liam, will end a tragic two months for the Inverness family, who still held out hope of finding him alive, believing he may have suffered a head injury and memory loss in a fall.
Identification could be confirmed using dNA.
The desperate search for Liam Colgan has ended in heartbreak after a body was found in the main river running through Hamburg.
Inverness postman Liam, 29, disappeared 10 weeks ago on his brother Eamonn’s stag do. His family launched a search for him and several sightings were reported.
But clothes on the body recovered from the River Elbe in Hamburg match those Liam was last seen in – and had his driving licence in a jacket pocket.
Police in Germany are now investigating the cause of death as the process of formally identifying the body continues.
It is not known whether any family member is flying out to Hamburg as identification could be confirmed using DNA.
The discovery, if confirmed, will end a tragic two months for the Colgan family, who still held out hope of finding him alive.
Liam was last seen leaving the Veermaster pub having left the rest of the stag party around 1.30am.
A police spokesman said: “After a witness had informed the police this morning (Monday), several patrol cars went to a harbour in the HafenCity.
“The fire brigade eventually salvaged a body floating in the water. It was transported to the Institute of Forensic Medicine for examination. Although the identity of the dead man has not yet been finally clarified, there is evidence this could be missing person Liam Colgan. The police in Hamburg is already in contact with his family. Further investigations, especially on cause of death, are continuing.”
“The fire brigade eventually salvaged a body floating in the water”
The Lucie Blackman Trust, which helps families of people missing abroad, said the family understood the body was Liam.
A spokesman said the man found in the River Elbe had been wearing clothes matching those worn by Liam when he was last seen.
Matthew Searle, the charity’s chief executive, said: “An astonishing amount of support has been apparent in this case – the search for Liam has been joined by thousands of people, both German and British, and we would like to thank all of them for their support.”
Liam’s disappearance on February 10 sparked a major search in the city and further afield.
Thousands of leaflets were distributed in a bid to trace him.
The efforts were spearheaded by brother Eamonn, a Dundee-based policeman who postponed his wedding while searches took place.