Unidentified Body Found Near San Miguel Island

National Parks Service released the following information Thursday:

On Wednesday, August 6, Channel Islands National Park rangers, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office deputies, and U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) special agents recovered an unidentified body on the beach at Simonton Cove on San Miguel Island.

A joint investigation is being conducted by the National Park Service, NCIS, and Santa Barbara County Coroner’s Office to identify the deceased and the circumstances associated with this incident.

The body was found by a marine mammal biologist who was surveying the beach at Simonton Cove late in the afternoon on Tuesday, August 5.

The condition of the body was deteriorated indicating that it had been exposed to the elements for some time.