Two off-duty National Police officers who were fishing some ten miles off Palma on Saturday spotted a body floating in the water.
There was an orange life jacket on the body, which was in an advanced state of decomposition and was taken to shore in a coordinated operation by the Coastguard and the Guardia Civil's diving unit.
Investigators suspect that the body is that of a migrant. DNA testing is to be carried out to see if the body is that of a known missing person.