Police in Devon have warned the public against taking part in Boxing Day sea swims following a tragic incident on Christmas Day when two men were swept out to sea at Budleigh Salterton. The men, aged in their forties and sixties, remain missing despite extensive searches by coastguard and RNLI teams.
The annual Christmas Day dip saw several people get into difficulty in rough seas. Emergency services were called at 10:25am after reports of people in trouble. RNLI lifeboat crews rescued one person, and several others were safely brought ashore and checked by paramedics or taken to hospital as a precaution.
Detective Superintendent Hayley Costar of Devon and Cornwall Police described the event as “a truly tragic incident” and urged anyone planning to swim on Boxing Day to reconsider. “While there are no official warnings in place, we urge anyone with plans to go swimming in the sea on Boxing Day not to,” she said.
Local resident Julia Robb, who watched the swimmers before the incident, described the conditions as “very cold and windy” with waves “at least 6ft”. She said it was “shocking for the whole community” and expressed sympathy for the families affected.
The Met Office had issued a yellow wind warning for Christmas Day, with gusts of 45-55mph and up to 65mph on exposed coasts, along with large waves. No weather warnings are in place for Boxing Day, but police have urged caution.
HM Coastguard confirmed that searches concluded around 5pm on Christmas Day, with the two men still missing. Their families have been informed. An RNLI spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with all those impacted by the incident and the family and friends of the two people who are missing.”
