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Torso found in Baltic during search for missing journalist Kim Wall

Missing: Swedish journalist Kim Wall disappeared more than a week ago: EPA
Missing: Swedish journalist Kim Wall disappeared more than a week ago: EPA

A woman’s headless torso has been found in the Baltic Sea, near where a missing Swedish journalist is believed to have died on a submarine.

The torso was found by a passer-by in Copenhagen after journalist Kim Wall was reported missing after failing to return from an interview on-board a home-built submarine.

Police warned it is too early to say if the body was that of the 30-year-old reporter, who disappeared after a trip on the submarine owned by Danish inventor Peter Madsen.

Madsen, 46, has been charged with manslaughter. He claimed he buried her body at an undisclosed location at sea after an accident and has denied any wrongdoing.

The torso, which was missing its legs and arms, was found in the Koge Bay area, south of Copenhagen, officers have said.

Search operation: A Danish navy ship in Koge Bay, which is south of Copenhagen, during the search for Swedish journalist Kim Wall. (AP)
Search operation: A Danish navy ship in Koge Bay, which is south of Copenhagen, during the search for Swedish journalist Kim Wall. (AP)

Madsen claims he left her body somewhere in that area, and a search operation involving divers, helicopters and ships was launched.

Jens Moller Jensen, who is leading the police investigation, said the body was found hours after Madsen told authorities Ms Wall had died on board the 60-foot submarine.

Ms Wall's family previously said she worked in many dangerous places as a journalist, but it was unimaginable that "something could happen... just a few miles from the childhood home".

Her boyfriend alerted police that she was missing when the sub had not returned from a test run, police said.

Madsen was rescued at sea after jumping off the submarine. He told rescuers that something had gone wrong on the machine and he was unable to fix it so he was forced to abandon ship.

But he was arrested by police hours later.

Danish police chief president Steen Hansen told Swedish news agency: “We believe he is telling the truth when he says she died in the submarine.”

But he did not comment as to whether police believe Ms Wall’s death was an accident.