Police divers recover body

Thursday 6th August 2009, 12:02PM BST.

Police cars at the scene. Picture: Peter Flemmich

Police divers have recovered the body of a man from a fast-flowing Mid Wales river after a two-day search for a missing camper.

The body is believed to be 43-year-old Oliver Ashby Johnson, from Northamptonshire, who was last seen going into the River Dulas, near Machynlleth, on Monday.

He had been camping with a companion on the Llwyngwern campsite at Pant Perthog, where he was spotted by two people entering the river at about 10am.

The alarm was raised and a massive hunt was put into operation by Dyfed Powys Police. Dozens of officers, sniffer dogs, coastguards, a mountain rescue team and the police helicopter were all involved.

A police diving team from Runcorn was called in yesterday to drag the river bordering the campsite after earlier efforts to find Mr Johnson failed. The body was located at about 12.45pm yesterday.

Inspector Graeme Dickson, of Dyfed Powys Police, said officers carried out extensive inquiries in the area on Monday before members of the mountain rescue team from Aberdyfi and the coastguard were called in to widen the search.

“We called in the divers and they located the body quite quickly not far from the campsite,” he said.

A post mortem will be held and the coroner for Powys, Mr Peter Maddox, has been informed.

View more: Machynlleth news.