Uzice, September 15 (Beta) - According to preliminary forensic reports, at least 48 bodies were found in Derventa mass grave near Bajina Basta, one female and 38 male bodies, while the sex of the remaining 9 victims is still unknown, it is said in a statement issued by Uzice District Court.

The statement said the mass grave contained civilian bodies over the age of 17, who were killed by gunshot. No bodies of children were exhumed.

Forensics experts said the bodies were dredged from Lake Perucac and re-buried near the town of Derventa some two years ago.

The expert forensic team which conducted the autopsies was led by Dr Zoran Stankovic, head of the Belgrade Military Medical Academy Institute for Pathology and Court Medicine.

The investigation launched after the September 6 exhumation was closed on Friday and was conducted in the presence of international observers - representatives of the ICTY, OSCE, the International Commission for Missing Persons, and Fund for Humanitarian Law.

The still unidentified bodies, presumably of ethnic Albanians, are believed to have been brought to the area of Bajina Basta in a freezer truck in April 1999 and dumped in Lake Perucac two years ago.