Entrainment of human bodies in rivers

Criminal activities or accidents from professional and recreational activities (boating, swimming, fishing, hiking, etc) near water bodies may lead to people being missing in the water. Following such an accident or crime, a person may be submerged in deep waters or get entrained by running water in rivers or in the sea. In this case, the recovery of the human body, or its remains, becomes a very difficult task. Despite the importance of this topic, there are only a few studies available, besides some studies in the forensics literature. The present technical report aims to offer some guidelines for the development of a predictive model for the detection of a human body or human remains that have been missing in a river. The aim of the guidelines is to aid rescue/recovery operations and decrease the risk and exposure to hazardous conditions of first responders and firemen. In addition, successful prediction of a missing body trajectory could occupy emergency personnel for only a small amount of time, which will allow the allocation of human resources to other emergencies. This is particularly important for summer periods, where drownings exhibit a seasonal high due to recreational activities in rivers and at the same time there is also a seasonal peak in forest fires due to drought and heat waves.