THE remains of a man who mysteriously went missing while out riding his quad bike have horrifically been found inside a shark’s stomach.
Diego Alejandro Barria, 35, disappeared on February 18 while driving his ATV cross country in Chubut, Argentina.
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His chewed-up remains were found by stunned fishermen while they were gutting a five-foot-long dogfish shark.
The anglers immediately notified the Naval Prefecture of Caleta Córdoba in the province of Chubut.
They discovered his forearm – which sported a distinctive green and red rose tattoo – inside the stomach of one of the three beasts they had caught on February 26.
The remains were quickly taken to a nearby morgue while Diego’s family members were informed.
Police say the shark’s stomach consisted of “dermis, fat and human meat”.
Diego’s distraught wife Virginia Brugger tragically identified her missing hubby from the inking after the fishermen’s gruesome find.
It marked a harrowing end to her desperate eight-day search for her spouse after he didn’t return to their home in Puerto Visser.
Diego was reported missing by his loved ones before police found his battered quad bike and helmet two days later, in the coastal area of Rocas Coloradas.
Several local fishermen and an acquaintance were the last people to see him alive as he headed on his fateful journey.
Virginia wrote in a poignant social media post: “Just a sign so I can find you please. Do not leave me.
“I pray to God that you show up soon. Here I am waiting for you. Don’t scare me like this.”
Authorities stepped up the search for Diego, hunting via land, air and water to find him but to no avail.
His remains are now set to be examined by experts as criminal investigators work to determine how he died.
Dogfish sharks pose little if any threat to humans and would not have fatally attacked him, despite eating his remains.
Police spokesperson Daniela Milatruz said it appears as though there was an accident – and investigators are looking into whether another vehicle was involved.
They are considering the hypothesis that he could have wandered into the water dazed after crashing his quad.
The seat of his bike was later found further up the coast after being dragged out to sea by the tide.
But cops are also looking into whether he was killed and dumped at sea after the shock find in the shark’s stomach.
Civil Protection spokesperson José Mazzei said: “We currently have two hypotheses. One, that he was injured.
“And the other, which has more weight to it, is that – due to the damage to the quad – he was knocked unconscious on the coast and the strong high tide dragged him away.”
But they stressed nothing has been ruled out and “everything is open for investigation”, including the possibility of foul play.
Just hours before Diego’s remains were discovered, his sunglasses were located close by to where his quad was found.
Officials are now waiting for the forensic results from his arm which they hope will help them crack the case.
The investigation will continue as authorities, aided by teams of divers and sniffer dogs, search for more of the victim’s remains in the area.
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