Rio police have recovered a dismembered body on the shores of Copacabana Beach, not far from where the Olympic beach volleyball arena is undergoing construction, local newspaper Extra is reporting.
A witness told Extra that he saw the body being pulled out of the water by the police on Wednesday afternoon. Authorities had not yet determined if the body is male or female.
The Rio Olympic Committee was set to host a news conference nearby for the inauguration of an Olympic “megastore.”
A few weeks ago, the beach was investigated for signs of a missing Australian backpacker after numerous reports of a dead body floating near the beach.
Earlier in February, an Argentinian tourist died after two men attacked her with a knife while she was strolling Copacabana beach with friends.