A rubbish skiff that had been working to remove refuse from the surface of the sea in Torrox, discovered the body of a man just under the surface.

It was 16.20h on Thursday when the skiff operator raised the alarm. He then jumped into the water to retrieve the victim. He discovered that the body was tied to the anchor cable of a yellow, marker buoy some 200 metres from the beach.

The emergency, call centre despatched Protección Civil (who have a small launch), the Guardia Civil, the Policía Local and Salvamento Marítimo.

The Guardia Civil used divers from their specialist unit, GEAS, based in Benalmádena, to release the body and bring it to the surface. The victim was wearing a weighted belt, swimming trunks and diving googles.

The body, which belonged to a man in his 50s, was taken to the Caleta de Vélez Marina where it was later taken to the Instituto de Medicina Legal in Málaga for an autopsy.

(News: Torrox, Axarquia, Costa del Sol, Malaga, Andalucia – Photo: E. Cabezas)