Human bones discovered beside salvaged Fiat recovered from Rhine near Bonn
A Fiat that had sunk in the Rhine decades ago was recovered during low water – human bones came to light in the process. Bonn criminal police are investigating.
Skeleton discovery following recovery of car wreck from Rhine
For decades, a small Fiat lay unnoticed on the bed of the Rhine near Bonn. Only low water exposed the wreck in the riverbed – and in doing so raised questions that now occupy the investigating authorities.
According to BILD, human bones were discovered beside the corroded vehicle. Firefighters discovered the car in early August during a control run with a rescue boat. Several weeks later, the vehicle was pulled from the Rhine; mud-caked debris and water spilled from the wreck onto the shore.
In this area, emergency personnel subsequently came across skeleton parts. Thereupon criminal police and forensic scene examiners were called in. Investigators are now waiting to see whether DNA can be extracted from the bones.
It remains unclear what happened to the Fiat 126 – produced from 1972 to 2000 – who its owner was, and whose remains lay beside the recovered vehicle. Bonn police do not currently have a missing persons case that could match the vehicle.
The bones found were taken to the forensic pathology department in Cologne for further examination. "At the present time, we cannot say whether we are dealing with a criminal offence here," said a spokesman for Bonn police to BILD.
Source: BILD