The body of missing student Adam Seaton was found by a researcher examining the Ribble Estuary, an inquest into his death heard.
A major police search was launched after the Southport teenager went missing last August, only for remains of his body to be found in the estuary in January.
He had last been seen at his home on August 9, 2018, but his car was found at the RSPB Marshside car park the following morning.
A search operation involved officers on foot, underwater and air searches and the use of drones, hovercraft and police dogs.
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Adam’s disappearance caused shock in the town and missing person posters were seen in shop windows all around Southport as well as as far as Liverpool city centre.
The 20-year-old was a geography student at Edge Hill University and also worked part-time as a shop assistant at the Morrison’s supermarket in his home town.
An inquest into his death at Southport Town Hall today heard that university graduate Dominic Harmer alerted police after discovering human remains on January 18.
Mr Harmer was examining bird numbers in the estuary for his PHD and had been examining the mud flats and sand banks of the estuary when the discovery was made.
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Statements read out by coroners officers Albert Howard-Murphy on behalf of pathologist Dr Rodgers and DI Jackie Guiness, of Merseyside Police, stated that the cause of death remained unascertained.
Di Guiness said: “As officer in this case, I would conclude and hold the view that Adam, in the absence of any further information or evidence, has succumbed to the sea and drowned.”
She added: “Whether he intended to take his own life or this was a tragic accident, we will never know.”
Summing up the inquest’s finding, assistant coroner Johanna Thompson said that the circumstances of Adam’s disappearance remain unknown and that it was only possible to record an open conclusion.
