A man's body has been discovered floating in the River Crouch near Burnham.
Police officers were contacted by Thames Coastguard at 3.15pm on Thursday after yachtsmen reported seeing the body floating at the mouth of the river.
The man was wearing a wetsuit, and is though to have been in the water for some time, although it is not known how he came to be in the water or how he died.
His body has been taken to Colchester General Hospital, the Coroner's office was informed and a post mortem examination will be held. The man has not been identified and his death is being treated as unexplained.
DS Lydia George, of Colchester CID, said: "We do not know who this man is and would urge anyone who has any information to contact with us. He was a well-built man with a short ginger beard and long ginger hair. He was wearing a full-length black wetsuit which had a blue Mystic logo on the right arm of the sleeve."
Anyone with information should call Essex Police on 101.
