Police in Germany have confirmed that DNA tests conducted on the body of a boy found in the River Danube do not match that of missing toddler Ben Needham. Ben vanished from the Greek island of Kos in 1991 when he was just 21 months old.

The case of Ben Needham has attracted widespread attention and tugged at the heartstrings of people across the world for many years. South Yorkshire Police, in collaboration with Interpol, sent DNA samples to German investigators after an appeal was made to help identify the remains of a young boy discovered in the River Danube in May of the previous year.

Regrettably, the results of the DNA tests have come back negative, eliminating any possibility of a match between the unidentified boy and Ben Needham. A spokesperson from South Yorkshire Police confirmed the outcome, stating that Ben’s family has been notified and is receiving support during this difficult time.

Although this particular lead did not yield the desired result for the Needham family, the police force empathises with their ongoing plight for answers. Alongside the disappointment of the negative DNA match, the police express their concern for the unidentified boy and his family, as efforts continue to establish his identity.

Ben’s disappearance from outside a farmhouse his grandfather was renovating sparked one of the largest missing person investigations in the history of South Yorkshire Police. The case has remained open for over three decades, with periodic updates and fresh leads keeping hope alive.