Dec 22, 2023 · Most corpses are seen floating face-down. When a corpse drowns, it does so head first as the head is heavier (or has a high specific gravity) than the feet. This results in what is called the “ …

Aug 5, 2024 · Dead bodies washing ashore or being sighted floating at sea aren’t uncommon, so why is it that these bodies have become buoyant after death? It all comes down to putrefaction and the …

Establishing cause and manner of death for bodies recovered from a liquid environment, typically from water, is challenging enough without the additional complexity of interpreting postmortem changes. …

Aug 20, 2025 · Despite initially sinking, most bodies eventually float due to decomposition. After death, bacteria within the body, particularly in the intestines, begin breaking down tissues. This anaerobic …

The five stages of decomposition—fresh (autolysis), bloat, active decay, advanced decay, and dry/skeletonized—have specific characteristics that are used to identify which stage the remains are …

21 hours ago · Cops made the grim discovery of an unconscious, unidentified man floating in the Harlem River on Thursday afternoon.

In summary, a human dead body can float due to the gases produced during decomposition, which lower its density compared to the surrounding water, thus causing it to rise rather than drown.

Jul 18, 2025 · The body of an unidentified person has been found floating near the Isles of Shoals off of the coast of New Hampshire in the Atlantic Ocean, police said.

May 18, 2023 · With the human body not equipped to survive in water, many fatalities are recorded every year as a consequence of natural death or suspected murder. Bodies can be found not only in …

4 days ago · Police are investigating after a person’s body was found floating in Biscayne Bay in Miami on Monday, officials said.