Post by Taxigirl on Dec 1, 2003 11:05:42 GMT
Reconstructions of the faces of unidentified bodies are being put on the internet, in an attempt to help the families of missing people.
It is hoped the database could solve the fate of some of the 200,000 people who go missing every year.
The tool has been launched by the National Missing Persons' Helpline.
The charity, which supports families with missing relatives, says they would prefer even a sad outcome to their case than remain living with uncertainty.
Artists' impressions
The majority of people who go missing will be traced.
But there are officially 200 bodies which remain unidentified.
The National Missing Persons Helpline's new system is the first of its kind available to the public.
It features facial reconstructions or artists' impressions of 40 people who have been found, but who have yet to be given a name.
Details of a further 120 bodies and how they were found are also included.
Forensic sketches
Auriole Prince, head of the identification and reconstruction department at the charity said: "More and more, coroners, police and hospitals are sending us information about people they are trying to identify.
"As well as running a search against our database and making enquiries, we can now share this information with the public via the internet. We hope that more cases will be resolved as a result."
Where possible, 2D and 3D reconstructions and forensic sketches have been used to show how the unidentified person looked.
Charity spokeswoman Sophie Woodforde said: "We hope publishing these details may enable us to end the uncertainty for some families."