The BC Coroner's service has now confirmed that the body of a man found in deep waters in Francois Lake is not that of local resident, Syd Neville, who went missing June 7 and is presumed drowned.

A body was subsequently found June 24 in approximately 175 metres of water by an Idaho couple using specialized equipment. It was recovered June 30.

"When recovery was undertaken on June 30, however, it provided not to be that of Neville, but rather of someone who had been in the lake for much longer, probably for years," stated a release this afternoon from the BC Coroners Service.

The RCMP have now turned over the investigation to the coroners service and both agencies are working to "compare the body with persons known to have gone missing in or near the lake in the past," indicated the service.

"A combination of circumstances, clothing, jewelry, dental work and/or DNA may be used to provide a positive identification. The BC Coroners Service will make public the identity of this person once identification is confirmed and all next of kin have been notified," the coroners service release continued.

The Idaho couple, Gene and Sandy Ralston from the Boise, Idaho area arrived June 23 and were called in based on their extensive experience in similar situations and are still on Francois Lake searching.