Minutes to Christmas Day swim disaster: Just moments after this photo was taken, two swimmers were missing as tragedy hit festive tradition
Two wild swimmers were missing last night after an annual Christmas Day plunge turned disastrous.
Several swimmers had to be dragged to safety through choppy waters at Budleigh Salterton as high winds caused large ripples.
The two men, one in his 40s and the other in his 60s, were taking part in a traditional swimming race off the coast of Devon when the alarm was raised at around 10.25am yesterday morning.
Footage showed dozens of people dressed in swimsuits and Santa hats screaming and laughing as they ran into crashing waves. But minutes later emergency services were called following reports of swimmers becoming concerned in the stormy waters.
Exmouth and Beer Coastguard rescue teams, RNLI lifeboats and a search and rescue helicopter were deployed.
Devon and Cornwall Police said several swimmers were helped back to shore and taken to hospital as a precaution, but added: ‘Two men are currently missing and searches and inquiries are ongoing in efforts to find them.’
Swimmers have been asked not to take part in nearby Exmouth’s Christmas Day swim until the incident is dealt with. ‘For public safety reasons we are asking people not to enter the water. “Due to current weather warnings, we ask that this remains the case for all swims today and Boxing Day,” a police spokesman said.
The two men, one in his 40s and the other in his 60s, were taking part in a traditional swimming race off the coast of Devon when the alarm was raised at around 10.25am yesterday morning.
Exmouth and Beer Coastguard rescue teams, RNLI lifeboats and a search and rescue helicopter were deployed
Police said they had contacted the missing man’s next of kin, but investigations were continuing to reach the second man’s family. They added that a local friend had been notified.
Many Christmas and Boxing Day swimming events in Devon and Cornwall were canceled on Wednesday after a yellow weather warning was issued.
The Met Office has warned of ‘strong, gusty east to north-east winds’ across south-west England and Wales on Christmas Day. He noted that peak winds on exposed coasts could reach speeds of 55 to 65 miles per hour, warning: ‘Large waves will pose an additional hazard on some coasts.’
Despite the bad weather, hundreds of revelers went swimming in East Devon. Shortly after, the alarm was raised and a massive rescue effort was launched.
The search for the two people was suspended as of 17:00.
BBC correspondent Phillip Stoneman, who has been visiting Budleigh for swimming for the last few years, said: ‘As soon as we arrived you could tell the sea was the roughest it had ever been and anyone going in had to be much more careful than usual.
‘The waves knocked some people off their feet as they came out of the sea and other swimmers were helping them.’
He said the RNLI boat was in the water at the time and hundreds of people were either on the beach or in the water.
Melissa Hill, who visited the town for Christmas, said: ‘The coastguard have cordoned off part of the path where the swimmers set off. They are looking at the area where the incident occurred. This is a very scary incident. There’s no good time to die, but Christmas Day is terrible.
‘Conditions are very bad. The sea is cold, the wind is strong and the waves are crashing. ‘I can’t believe anyone went into the water in this state.’
Emergency services were called to the beach at Budleigh Salterton at 10.25am following concerns about swimmers.
Emergency services were called to Budleigh Salterton beach in Devon on Christmas Day following a festive swim but it quickly turned into a major incident due to dangerous sea conditions.
A local pensioner, who asked not to be named, said up to four people were initially believed to be missing.
‘We went to the scene and were told that four people were missing. I don’t know if this figure is still accurate.
‘But conditions were very dangerous all day. There’s nothing here today to protect swimmers from the weather.’
A coastguard worker at the scene said: ‘It was a huge reaction. ‘There were many helicopters, lifeboats and coastguards at the scene.’ It came as wild swimmers were warned after containers full of bananas fell into the sea from a cargo ship off the Isle of Wight.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said 16 containers fell overboard from the Baltic Klipper off Bembridge on December 6. He added that some containers had washed ashore at Selsey in West Sussex. Arun District Council has now warned that there may be metal fragments in the water. The council posted on Facebook: ‘If you are planning a festive swim this year, please take extra care on our beaches.
‘Following the recent shipping container incident, metal fragments may still be found in the sea along our coastline. Please stay safe and if you see anyone in distress in the water please call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.’
