Rasbert Turner, Star Writer

The Bog Walk police in St Catherine say tests will have to be conducted on a body that was retrieved from the Rio Cobre yesterday before it can be identified.

The body which was in an advanced stage of decomposition was seen floating in the murky water. It was nude with a piece of material over the head.

About 10 a.m. yesterday, a passer-by saw the body near an area call 'Prim Rock'. Scores of persons turned up and expressed a number of theories.

"You see how him shirt cover him head? It look like a dash dem dash him in a di river and di body now rise, " a bystander said.

Others believed that it was an eventful time in the gorge with an overturned truck further up the river.

"I believe that he was from the truck that crashed in the gorge. But this ya man look like a long time him dead," a resident said.

The body was removed by Scene of Crime detectives with the assistance of the fire brigade for post-mortem examination.

Investigators said the body is about 5 feet 11 inches long.

The St Catherine North police are conducting investigation into the matter.