Police renew appeal to identify man found dead in Powys reservoir 12 months on

Police have launched a fresh appeal for information a year after the body of a man was discovered in Claerwen Reservoir, Elan Valley, Powys.

Despite extensive enquiries over the past 12 months, Dyfed-Powys Police have been unable to identify the man, whose body was recovered from the water on October 18, 2024.

The force has now turned to the public once again for help, with Detective Inspector Anthea Ponting appearing on BBC Crimewatch Live this Friday (October 24) to make a nationwide appeal.

She said: “This is a highly unusual situation – a year on from this tragic discovery we still do not know who this man is, where he came from, or how he came to lose his life. This is someone’s son, possibly a partner, brother or father, and we want to return him to his family. Any piece of information could be key.”

Walker

The man was spotted in the water at around 8.30am by a walker, who alerted emergency services. His body was later recovered from a remote part of the reservoir. A post-mortem suggested he was aged between 30 and 60, around 6ft tall, and had been in the water for up to 12 weeks.

The only item of clothing recovered was an extra-large Zone 3 Agile wetsuit, typically worn by someone between 6ft and 6ft 5in tall, weighing 202–220lbs, with a 44–48in chest. No personal belongings, jewellery, vehicles or other transport were found in the area.

DI Ponting added: “We have checked his description against every missing persons list in the UK, liaised with international police, and carried out checks on DNA and fingerprint databases. Unfortunately, every line of enquiry has drawn a blank.”

Appealed

Over the past year, investigators have appealed to other UK police forces, the wider public and international agencies, but the man’s identity remains unknown.

Police are asking anyone who visited Claerwen Reservoir between July and October 2024, or who may know someone matching the man’s description who has not been seen for some time, to come forward.

DI Ponting said: “There must be someone out there who is missing this person. Please help us provide answers and bring him back to those who loved him.”

If you visited Claerwen Reservoir between July and October 18, 2024, and saw anything that might help enquiries, or you are aware of someone who has not been seen for some time and matches the description above, contact Dyfed-Powys Police in one of the following ways:

Online: Dyfed-Powys report online

Email: [email protected]

Call: 101