A man is feared to have been swept out to sea during Storm Austen after CCTV footage showed him leaving a hotel in Devon at lunchtime wearing only shorts and a T-shirt. His disappearance prompted a major search operation in Torbay which emergency crews say spanned nine hours.
Search and Rescue Operation Launched
RNLI Torbay were joined by the coastguard and police in searching the area near Goodrington. The RNLI saw crews launched at around 6.10pm during the first named storm of the 2026/2027 autumn/winter season and a shoreline search was carried out. A drone was also involved in the emergency effort.
Exmouth RNLI say it joined the rescue effort and launched its Shannon lifeboat at 6.35pm to search the water. Wind speeds picked up during the multi-agency operation, with gusts ranging from force five to eight, the lifeboat station said.
Challenging Conditions Hamper Search
“Storm Austen’s presence meant the sea state and weather conditions were challenging, severely hampering the ability to spot the casualty in or near the water, and explaining why so many search assets were called upon,” Torbay RNLI said.
As Storm Austen intensified and conditions deteriorated, Torbay RNLI’s inshore lifeboat was stood down at around 9.10pm after carrying out a second shoreline search and returning to refuel. Searches continued through the night to Hopes Nose, the Mussel Farm and further offshore before concluding at around 2am. The ALB returned to the station by around 3.10am.
Daylight Search and Ongoing Efforts
A Torbay RNLI spokesperson said: “Later that morning, at 11:45am, Solent Coastguard requested a daylight search at the Roundham. Our volunteer Crew were paged at 11:56am assembled at 12:01pm and launched at 12:10pm.
“Their search included putting two members ashore to explore the rocks at Roundham. Conditions were still not easy with driving rain, strong West to Northwest winds and turbulent seas.
“Nobody was found and the crew were stood down by Solent returning to station by 2:48pm where they made the lifeboat ready for service before heading home to well-deserved lunch.”
RNLI say the search for the man is also ongoing. The lifeboat station added they also received a worried call for assistance from a fisherman whose boat had suffered an engine failure. The vessel was tucked into the cliffs near London Bridge, sheltering from the weather. The boat was towed into the harbour.
