Rye Hunt: Body found on Brazil beach identified as missing Australian traveller

Mr Hunt, a 25-year-old electrician, went missing on 21 May after leaving Rio’s airport during a world trip with his friend

Rye Hunt, 25, travelled to Brazil as part of a world trip with a friend (Facebook/ Find Rye Hunt)

A body washed up on a beach in Brazil three days ago has been confirmed as missing traveller Rye Hunt, police said.

Brazilian police inspector Elen Souto said in statement on Saturday that forensic tests have confirmed the identity of the body, which was in an advanced stage of decomposition and found in Marica, a municipality about 25km from Rio de Janeiro.

Mr Hunt, a 25-year-old electrician who worked at a mine in western Australia, went missing on 21 May after leaving Rio de Janeiro's airport following an alleged quarrel with his friend.

(Facebook/ Find Rye Hunt (Facebook/ Find Rye Hunt)

Mr Hunt and his friend had arrived in Rio de Janeiro on 16 May as part of a world trip. The pair began their journey in south east Asia and planned to spend two months in South America before heading to Europe, according to Bonnie Cuthbert, Mr Hunt’s girlfriend of five years.

A family statement released on a Facebook page dedicated to finding Mr Hunt confirmed the identification saying: "It is with deep regret and sadness that clinical testing has confirmed that the body found in Marica, 25km away from Rio de Janeiro on 8 June 2016… is that of our beloved Rye Duval Hunt.

“We have received this information from the Australian Embassy but this has not been confirmed by the DFAT at this time.

“Officials from the Australian embassy will now work with the family in Rio to return Rye to Australia.”

Investigators have not been able to establish the cause of death.

It is understood Mr Hunt and his friend had used drugs before going to the airport.

A statement released by the family on 7 June said it was initially believed MDMA had been consumed, however, following reports from those around Mr Hunt in the lead up to his disappearance, which said he demonstrated "irregular and out of character behaviours, such as extreme paranoia, anxiety and fear", it is now believed Mr Hunt may have consumed a different illicit substance, often referred to as NBOMe, thinking he was consuming MDMA.

Bonnie Cuthbert, of Australia, holds a photo of her missing boyfriend Rye Hunt, 25, (AP)

The statement describes NBOMe as "a highly potent hallucinogen and psychedelic".

Without a sample of what was consumed the exact substance that may have been taken by Mr Hunt and his friend cannot be confirmed.

Ms Cuthbert said she had never known Mr Hunt to use illicit substances.

Mr Hunt’s sister Romany Brodribb said in a statement: “We are understandably heart broken. Rye was the youngest member of our family and was known for being loyal, loving, generous, cheeky, and as a brother, totally infuriating! Thinking about life without him is unfathomable. He will be very missed by us all.”

Ms Cuthbert said: “I feel so blessed to have shared the last five years with my beautiful ‘Big Bear.’ We have been so lucky to have found and loved each other so deeply. The love Rye and I shared will remain within both of us, forever.”

Additional reporting by Associated Press