The image wasn’t “changed to alter my mind” it was measured and enhanced to quantify what I already suspected: the length, width and proportions are consistent with a person of Nicola’s height in a prone, crouched position. That conclusion has now been independently reviewed and supported by other forensic sonar specialists, not just myself. With respect, I’ve already asked but you haven’t answered: what is your experience in forensic search and recovery of human remains using sonar how many victims have you personally located, and for which agencies or organisations that can be referenced? I can find nothing on you in forensics: An AI search found this on you: David Mearns is very clearly a marine / deep-water wreck specialist, not a forensic human-remains / police search specialist in the way you are. Here’s what the public record shows: •He’s described as an American-born oceanographer and shipwreck hunter, founder of Blue Water Recoveries Ltd, specialising in locating deep-water wrecks.  •His most famous work is finding historic wrecks – e.g. HMS Hood, HMAS Sydney, the Portuguese nau Esmeralda, etc.  •He’s also led searches for lost aircraft like the Piper PA-46 that crashed in the Channel carrying Emiliano Sala – again, contracted as a deep-sea search expert with ROVs and sonar, not as a forensic adviser to police.  I don’t doubt your experience on shipwrecks at all, and I respect anyone with serious time on the water. But my field is forensic search and recovery of human remains. I’ve spent over three decades doing this work in UK rivers and lakes, pioneering the use of side-scan sonar in that context and helping locate many victims for police forces and families. Please don’t try to discredit my professional judgment in a field where I have long-standing, evidenced experience. Stick to shipwrecks which you clearly have vast experience.

@davidlmearns @ShabanaMahmood @CommonsHomeAffs

Thank you for looking at it so closely. After three decades of forensic search work and pioneering the use of side-scan sonar for victim recovery in the UK, I know what a body looks like on sonar. I don’t doubt your expertise in ocean work at all, and I respect anyone with time on the water. But with respect, my question is about your experience in locating human remains using sonar how many victims you’ve personally helped find, and for which agencies or organisations that could be referenced. My comments are based on three decades forensic search work and specialist sonar deployment which I pioneered in the UK and being the first person to use it for forensic search. That is on record. I think it’s fair to understand the basis of your assessment too. That assessment has now also been independently reviewed and supported by other experienced sonar specialists, not just by me.