Badly Decomposed Body Found In Central Park Reservoir

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NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A mystery was unfolding in Central Park on Tuesday, after a maintenance worker discovered a badly decomposed body in the reservoir.

Now, police are trying to figure out how the man died.

As CBS2's Alice Gainer reported, the body was discovered before 1 p.m. near East 87th Street and East Drive.

Police have been on the scene since the body was found.

It was not immediately how long it had been there, but the NYPD's Emergency Service Unit came to remove the remains, and the reservoir entrance at 90th Street and Fifth Avenue was closed off.

Authorities are combing through missing persons reports as they attempt to make an identification.

The reservoir is about 40 feet deep and roughly a half-mile long. It is surrounded by a running track and 4-foot high fence.

Tourists, runners, and people trying to walk around and enjoy the picture perfect weather in the park were unnerved by the gruesome discovery.

"It's a pity, very sad," one person said.

Although not all visitors were shocked.

"We're from London, so these things do happen in big cities," a tourist added.

The reservoir was decommissioned in 1993, so the water is not used for drinking.