Police have issued an urgent warning to the public to avoid swimming in the sea on Boxing Day following a tragic incident in Devon where two men vanished during a traditional Christmas Day dip.
Search Called Off for Missing Swimmers
Emergency services were scrambled to the beach at Budleigh Salterton, Devon, at 10.25am on Christmas Day after concerns were raised for the welfare of participants in an annual wild swimming event. A significant multi-agency response saw a number of people pulled from the water, with several checked by paramedics or taken to hospital as a precaution.
Despite extensive searches involving coastguard teams, RNLI lifeboats, and helicopters, two men, aged in their 40s and 60s, remain missing. Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed that searches were called off late on Christmas Day due to challenging weather conditions. The families of both men have been informed.
Urgent Public Warning for Boxing Day
Detective Superintendent Hayley Costar of Devon and Cornwall Police emphasised the tragedy of the incident and urged extreme caution. "Our thoughts remain firmly with the families and friends of the two men who are currently missing," she said.
She issued a direct plea to the public: "While there are no official warnings in place for tomorrow, we urge anyone with plans to go swimming in the sea on Boxing Day not to." This warning comes despite the Met Office's yellow weather warning for wind, which was in place across parts of the South West on Christmas Day, having now expired.
Major Emergency Service Response
The scale of the operation was substantial. HM Coastguard coordinated a response involving:
- Coastguard rescue teams from Exmouth and Beer.
- RNLI lifeboats from Exmouth, Teignmouth, and Torbay.
- Search and rescue helicopters and a fixed-wing aircraft.
- Police and ambulance personnel.
A spokesperson for the RNLI confirmed their crews assisted in recovering one person from the water and searched throughout the day for the two missing individuals before being stood down by the Coastguard around 5pm. The South Western Ambulance Service reported taking one person to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.
The Budleigh Salterton Christmas swim, once a formal charity event, has in recent years operated as a popular unofficial gathering. Its continuation yesterday, despite weather warnings that caused the cancellation of other organised swims, has ended in a community tragedy and a stark safety warning from authorities.
