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Somerton Man remains exhumed after dig in Adelaide's West Terrace Cemetery
The Somerton Man has been exhumed from his resting place in Adelaide's West Terrace Cemetery, with police optimistic about the prospects of recovering DNA.
The remains of the unidentified man were placed inside a new coffin, which has been taken away for DNA analysis.
Police conducting the exhumation at the grave found an identification tag confirming the remains were those of the Somerton Man, whose body was found on an Adelaide beach 73 years ago.
A small excavator and earthmover were earlier used to remove the hard topsoil, before a marquee tent was set up directly over the gravesite.
Once the dig progressed, a wooden spatula and small brush were then used to carefully remove the bones from the ground.
The exhumation which began around sunrise, about 5:00am, continued for about 12 hours.
Superintendent Bray said that despite the intense public interest, the human side of the case should not be forgotten.
"It's important for everybody to remember that the Somerton Man's not just a curiosity or a mystery to be solved. It's somebody's father or son, perhaps grandfather, uncle or brother. That's why we're doing this and trying to identify him," he said.
"There are people we know who live in Adelaide who believe they may be related and they deserve to have a definitive answer."
The Somerton Man has been exhumed from his resting place in Adelaide's West Terrace Cemetery, with police optimistic about the prospects of recovering DNA.
The remains of the unidentified man were placed inside a new coffin, which has been taken away for DNA analysis.
Police conducting the exhumation at the grave found an identification tag confirming the remains were those of the Somerton Man, whose body was found on an Adelaide beach 73 years ago.
A small excavator and earthmover were earlier used to remove the hard topsoil, before a marquee tent was set up directly over the gravesite.
Once the dig progressed, a wooden spatula and small brush were then used to carefully remove the bones from the ground.
The exhumation which began around sunrise, about 5:00am, continued for about 12 hours.
Superintendent Bray said that despite the intense public interest, the human side of the case should not be forgotten.
"It's important for everybody to remember that the Somerton Man's not just a curiosity or a mystery to be solved. It's somebody's father or son, perhaps grandfather, uncle or brother. That's why we're doing this and trying to identify him," he said.
"There are people we know who live in Adelaide who believe they may be related and they deserve to have a definitive answer."