LONDON, Dec. 12 (dpa/EP) –
Police officers searching for missing former English rugby player Tom Voyce have found a body near the spot where he was swept away while trying to cross the River Aln, which burst its banks due to the recent storm ‘Darragh’.
As reported this Thursday by the local police, Voyce’s Toyota Hilux car was recovered downstream from Abberwick Ford, on the outskirts of Alnwick (Northumberland), and police authorities suspect that the former player was dragged while trying to escape from said vehicle.
Voyce, 43, was unable to return home last Sunday after going out with friends the night before. The river’s water level was particularly high throughout last weekend as Storm ‘Darragh’ hit the UK.
A major search operation was then launched, in which Northumbria Police participated, with drones and helicopters, along with Coast Guard officers, as well as the mountain rescue teams from North Tyne and the Northumberland National Park.
Although family and friends of the former rugby player also joined the search, Northumbria Police said they faced “very difficult conditions, particularly due to the flow of the river and the significant rise in level following the exceptionally heavy rain experienced during the weekend”.
Thus, this Thursday the specialist officers of the Northumbria Police Marine Unit made the sad discovery in the river, near Abberwick Mill. The police force denied that it had already made the formal identification, but it had notified the relatives of the situation. Voyce and were receiving support from specialist agents.
“This is an extremely sad event and our thoughts remain with Tom’s loved ones,” said Helena Barron, Chief Superintendent of Northumbria Police. “I would like to thank all of our officers, partners and volunteers for their assistance during the searches which have been carried out under very difficult circumstances,” Barron added at a news conference.
“We continue to ask that people respect the family’s privacy at this time,” said the Northumbria Police leader. In this context, the agents do not believe that there is any involvement of third parties and will prepare a report for the coroner.
Voyce earned nine senior England caps during his career and spent six years at Wasps, from 2003 to 2009, where he helped win European and national titles, having moved there from Bath and then moving to Gloucester in 2009. He made 220 Premiership appearances before retiring in May 2013.