Human remains were discovered yesterday close to the area where Donald Campbell's speed boat was recovered in Coniston Water, Cumbria police said. The find was made by divers at around 1 p.m.
Campbell (45) died 34 years ago when he sped across the water at 297 m.p.h. before spinning out of control. His speedboat, the Bluebird, was recovered from the lake in March.
The remains were taken to Furness General Hospital, Barrow-in-Furness, where a post mortem will be carried out. Insp Paul Coulson said DNA testing would also be carried out on the remains. Campbell's daughter Gina was present when the remains were brought to the surface. She had been accompanying a BBC television camera crew who were filming a documentary on Campbell. The remains were placed in a blue box which was draped with a Union flag.
Dicing with death was a way of life for Donald Campbell as it had been for his father before him. Sir Malcolm Campbell held the land and water speed record at different times and his proud son resolved at an early age to emulate him.
He set seven water speed records between 1955 and 1964, finally reaching 276.3 m.p.h. in 1964.
Then he turned his attention to land. While attempting to break the land speed record on the Utah Salt Flats in the US in 1960 Campbell was lucky to survive a horrendous crash.
It was Campbell's insatiable quest for glory that took him and his jet powered boat Bluebird to Coniston Water in Cumbria in January 1967.
He took the Bluebird up to 297 m.p.h. but needed to make a return run to meet the requirements for the record. Without pausing to re-fuel, he turned and took the boat to speed in the wake he had set up on the lake on the first leg.
As the craft reached an estimated 300 m.p.h. over the radio link the support team ashore heard Campbell become alarmed as Bluebird banged against the rough water.
Bluebird's prow reared up and she lifted off the surface and turned a somersault. She crashed back into the water nose first, killing Campbell instantly.
Although the location of the boat was known in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, it was soon forgotten and only recently rediscovered by a TV crew making a documentary.