Missing adventurer turns up in a shark's stomach

Diego Barra, 32, poses in an undated photo. His remains were found inside a shark caught by fishermen in the area where he disappeared in Chubut, Argentina - Newsflash

A father of three who had an accident on his quadbike while riding along a beach in Argentina has turned up dead – inside the stomach of a shark.

Diego Barria, 32, a father-of-three, was last seen riding his Yamaha Raptor off-road buggy along a stretch of coastline in the southern province of Chubut 10 days ago.

He then disappeared. His wife, Virginia, posted desperate messages on her Facebook page, appealing for him to get in touch.

Two days later, his damaged all-terrain vehicle and his helmet were found on a beach near Rocas Coloradas, a protected area of lagoons, dunes and coloured rock formations.

At the weekend, two local men went fishing and hauled three sharks out of the sea.

When they cut them open to clean them and prepare them for eating, they found human remains.

A tattoo depicting a rose was still visible on the arm of the body which matched a tattoo that Mr Barria had, allowing for him to be identified.

Diego Barra, 32, poses on a jeep. His remains were found inside a shark caught by fishermen in the area where he disappeared in Chubut, Argentina. - Newsflash

“When they were cleaning (the sharks) they found human remains in one of them,” said Daniela Millatruz, a law enforcement officer involved in the case.

The remains were recognised by Mr Barria’s relatives “due to a tattoo that appeared in one of those remains.”

It is thought that Mr Barria, who was keen on fishing and other outdoor pursuits, had an accident on his quadbike, was knocked out, and was then dragged out to sea – there was a strong tidal surge on the day he disappeared.

He would have then been easy prey for the sharks, which were around 1.5 metres long.

It is probable that Mr Barria “had an accident and was dragged” out to sea, according to Cristian Ansaldo, a police officer from the nearby town of Comodoro Rivadavia. He said there had been a strong tidal surge on the weekend Mr Barria had disappeared.

That theory was backed up by Jose Mazzei, a civil protection official, who told Argentinian media that Mr Barria was probably unconscious on the beach when he was dragged out to sea by a high tide.

The body parts will undergo DNA testing to confirm that they are the remains of Mr Barria.