Bodies found in lake where young couple vanished

As yet, the two deceased have not been identified, although it appears a foregone conclusion that they are the remains of 23-year-old Marc H.L., from Arenys de Munt and Paula M.P., 21, from Cabrils (both in the province of Barcelona).

The couple had been on holiday at the time and planned to visit Tamariu in Palafrugell (Girona province) and Montseny, and to take a trip in a kayak owned by Marc in the Susqueda swamp, an iconic giant lake inland from the Costa Brava.

Their inflatable kayak was found in the water, partially let down, not far from where their car had been parked in the Coll Palomera area close to the lake.

Members of their family reported them missing on Saturday, August 26 after not having heard from them, although the youngsters had planned to go kayaking on the Thursday, August 24.

Investigators found their car in the water near where it had been parked, half-submerged, and Catalunya's interior minister Joaquim Forn said it had been 'pushed'.

“Evidence is clear that the car did not fall in the water by accident – it landed in the swamp because someone pushed it, someone dragged or drove or even lifted it. This is the biggest piece of evidence we have to date,” Forn said when the car was discovered a few days after Paula and Marc vanished.

A handwritten note with 'soundbites' of 'introspective detail' found near the scene is not said to be a suicide letter, police say, but is rather thought to be 'the young woman's reflections'.

The exact circumstances around the couple's likely death have not been determined.

A post-mortem and formal identification will be carried out to ascertain whether the bodies, who fit the descriptions of a young Spanish man and woman, are indeed Marc and Paula.