Two men, aged in their 40s and 60s, went missing on Christmas Day morning after entering the water at Budleigh Salterton, Devon. Emergency services were alerted around 10:25 am following concern for individuals in the sea. While several other swimmers were safely brought ashore and taken to the hospital as a precaution, the two men could not be located despite extensive search and rescue operations by the coastguard and RNLI. These searches have now concluded, and the men remain missing, with their families having been informed by Devon and Cornwall Police.
The incident occurred during a period of strong winds and rough seas, with a yellow Met Office weather warning for wind in effect for the South West region, including Devon and Cornwall, predicting gusts up to 65mph. Although no further weather warnings are in place for Boxing Day, police are strongly advising the public to avoid swimming in the sea due to the ongoing dangerous conditions. Several official and unofficial swims had already been cancelled in the area due to the weather. Detective Superintendent Hayley Costar expressed the force's thoughts with the families of the missing men and those impacted by the tragic event, noting the significant emergency service presence throughout the day.