The hunt identify a woman who washed ashore in Scotland 16 years ago has taken a new turn following a breakthrough by cold case investigators.
Mystery still surrounds the discovery of the human remains on Port Logan beach, Stranraer, in November 2006, despite the best efforts to identify the woman.
Based on research into tidal flows, the weather and the location of where the body was found, investigators now suspect the woman may have entered the water in the Dublin Bay area of Ireland.
It is also believed she had been in the water for up to six months, indicating that she may have gone missing in the spring or summer of 2006.
A series of posters, social media posts, a video and a dedicated webpage will be used as part of an appeal for help from the public in Ireland over the coming weeks.
The campaign, launched by the Scottish Cold Case Unit at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) and the charity Locate International, will use an updated facial reconstruction image produced last year of the person dubbed as the ‘Port Logan Woman’.
The team have produced a list of more than 400 contacts across Ireland who will be encouraged to share details of the case.
Forensic work has revealed that she was aged 30 to 50, of thin build and 4ft 11in to 5ft 4in tall.
She was wearing size 10 black Bay Trading trousers, a white BHS size 34c bra and tan-coloured tights when she was discovered on Wednesday, November 22, 2006.
Dr Maureen Taylor, co-director of the Scottish Cold Case Unit at GCU, said: “The team have been undertaking a number of enquiries around the clothing she was wearing, a geographical profile of the location she was found, sea and air incidents and missing women from the UK and Ireland.
“Although she was found in southwest Scotland, it may be that she had lived in, spent time in, or had travelled to or from Ireland.
“Is there a friend or relative you haven’t heard from or lost contact with who may have gone missing in the spring or summer of 2006? Is there someone who used to come to your place of work or leisure activities that you no longer see?
“We hope the facial reconstruction jogs someone’s memory and adds more pieces of the puzzle as to who she might be.”
Anyone with information can email ColdCaseUnit@gcu.ac.uk or complete a form online https://bit.ly/3bQA2hD.
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