An autopsy will be carried out on a body found off the Croatian coast to determine if it's missing Australian backpacker Britt Lapthrone.
It’s unusual for police here to give press conferences, but today they had no choice after a body was found at a popular beach at Dubrovnik.
It’s badly decomposed, and an autopsy will determine the identity.
Police are opting it’s not the missing student, and are continuing their search in the hills around the medieval town.
Police spokesman Ivan Kukrika said indications were the body was not that of the 21-year-old, who went missing from the coastal town in the early hours of September 18, because it was too badly decomposed.
"For sure we can almost tell that it's not Britt because it's in a high state of decomposition," he told a press conference.
"We can't even tell if it's male or female.
"What we know from our knowledge of decomposition of a body after it has been in the sea, we can tell it's not her, but we cannot tell anything for sure before the autopsy gives a result."
Dale Lapthorne says he'll provide police with information to help them confirm the identity.
“We have been asked to provide dental history of Britt, and I will give a DNA sample tomorrow as well.”
The deputy police chief also deputed claims authorities had been slow to act – providing documents he says proves investigations started immediately after she was reported missing.
But Britt’s family has again lashed out at the Australian government and authorities, after they weren’t told about the discovery.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd promised to leave no stone unturned in the hunt for Britt.
But after another frustrating day, her father Dale has had enough – he says he’s lost heart in the government, he believes the AFP officers sent to Dubrovnik are simply here for political reasons.
He had to find out through the media about the body being found – he says all he wants is a little bit of honesty from local police.