Body found in Spain may be missing Irishman

Gerard Couzens

A body believed to be that of an Irishman who disappeared last year on the Costa Blanca has been found in Spain.

Spanish police have spoken to Ken Moore’s loved ones to inform them of the discovery and their suspicions it is him. Sources said officers recovered the missing man’s passport at the scene.

Spanish National Police officers made the find on Thursday near the Ibis Hotel in Agua Amarga on the outskirts of Alicante.

Mr Moore, 54, disappeared in October last year. He had been holidaying in the area but didn’t return home as planned on October 7th.

His sister Tanya Foley said after he vanished she had contacted him when he didn’t arrive at the airport as he “wanted to stay a few extra days.”

Facebook post

Earlier this month she posted a message on Facebook alongside a photo of her brother on a missing poster and said: “Ken has been missing almost four months now, and we would be so grateful for any new information please.”

Last November she wrote: “Ken has still not made contact with home. We would like to thank everyone for their help so far.

“We now know that Ken was in the Orihuela Costa Villamartin area on Halloween, 31st October 2022 .

“We are appealing for anybody who has seen or spoken to Ken since that date to please message privately with your information.

“We need to know that Ken is okay as he seems to have been struggling from the information we have gathered with everyone’s help so far. We just want Ken to know that his family and friends are here for him no matter what and that everything will be okay.”

Body found

A spokeswoman for Spain’s National Police confirmed on Friday afternoon a man’s body had been found in the Agua Amarga area of Alicante.

She said: “An autopsy has yet to take place, but there were no obvious signs at the scene the death was the result of a crime and at this moment in time, pending obviously the autopsy results, everything is pointing towards the death being the result of natural causes.

“The body was found on waste ground in a street called Avenida de Elche, by council workers who were doing maintenance work in the area.”

A well-placed source added: “Mr Moore’s family has been informed it is likely to be him because the clothes he was wearing were identical to the ones he had on when he was reported missing and his passport was found among his belongings.

“An autopsy will need to take place and DNA tests performed to confirm the identity of the dead man and the probable cause of death.”