Possible body of one of three people still missing since deadly 'Dana' flood in Valencia found one year on

Workers have found the mummified body of a man in Manises, in the province of Valencia, on Tuesday, while removing debris around the Turía river. It is believed that it is the body of one of the three people who have remained officially missing since the 'Dana' floods in Valencia that took the lives of 229 people almost a year ago. Forensic and DNA tests are currently being carried out to determine the corpse's identity. The discovery opens the door to hope for the three families that await the moment when they would be able to bury the remains of José Javier Vicent Fas, Francisco Ruiz and Elisabet Gil.

The completely mummified body was found around 7.20pm by Tragsa workers who were clearing the rubble near the riverbed. The state and the location indicate that the body is most probably that of one of the three missing people. The remains have been sent to the institute of legal medicine in Valencia for tests to be carried out.

One of the likely hypotheses, without official confirmation, is that the body belongs to 56-year-old José Javier Vicent from Pedralba, who was in a rural house with his 30-year-old daughter Susana when the flood surprised them on the afternoon of 29 October. The body of Susana, who had Down's syndrome, was found on a beach in Sueca, some 70 kilometres away, two days after the flood. This is why it is not unreasonable to think that José's body was washed up all the way in Manises.

The Guardia Civil, a forensic expert and the magistrate's court were all mobilised to the area where the body was found, buried under mud and debris this past year. The autopsy results are pending.

Valencia is approaching the one-year anniversary since the disaster. The relatives of the three missing people are still waiting for a call to confirm that their remains have been found.

Elisabeth Gil, 37, from Cheste was with her mother, Elvira Martínez, who was taking her to work at Hotel La Carreta, when the current swept their Ford Focus away. Elvira's body was found, but Elisabeth has not been located yet.

Despite intensive searches, the police have not been able to find Francisco Ruiz Martínez, 64, who was taken by the flood in a car park in a Montserrat supermarket. Before he was lost, he managed to place his five- and ten-year-old grandchildren on the roof of the vehicle and save them.

The discovery on Tuesday gives hope of finally finding peace for the missing people's families. In the meantime, the court is still considering whether to add to the official death toll of the 'Dana' cases like that of Dolores, who was one of the residents rescued from the nursing home in Paiporta, where six elderly people died on 29 October. Dolores died in Hospital Doctor Peset in Valencia three days later.