The bodies of the drowned sometimes surface on their own, but this depends on the qualities of the water. The putrefaction of flesh produces gases, primarily in the chest and gut, that inflate a corpse like a balloon. In warm, shallow water, decomposition works quickly, surfacing a corpse within two or three days.

Do dead bodies float or sink?

Q. Why does a corpse float, when a living person must exert an effort to stay afloat? A. Dead bodies in the water usually tend to sink at first, but later they tend to float, as the post-mortem changes brought on by putrefaction produce enough gases to make them buoyant.

Will a dead body float in water?

As a general rule, yes. A cadaver in the water starts to sink as soon as the air in its lungs is replaced with water. ... Most dead bodies float this way, but there are exceptions. The smaller the limbs, the more likely a corpse will float facing up—short arms and legs create less drag.