Family of man missing at sea pay tribute
The families of one of two men who went missing after a Christmas Day dive say they are heartbroken
over his disappearance. After two men in their 60s and 40s went missing in the sea at Budleigh Salterton shortly after 10:25 GMT on Thursday, emergency services had been searching the area. About 17:00, the coastguard search mission was called off. Matthew Upham, the owner of an antiques store in Budleigh Salterton, Devon, released a statement on his website describing him as a beloved
family friend.
it said.Matthew is deeply loved and will be greatly missed,
We are profoundly grateful for their compassion and help.We would like to express our sincere and heartfelt gratitude to the emergency services that responded, particularly the RNLI and coast guard, for their commitment, dedication, and tireless efforts during this challenging period.
police said, adding that a police presence was still on scene. Devon and Cornwall Police have been contacted by the BBC for more details.We be grieving and assisting one another, we kindly request that our family's privacy be respected. We thank everyone for their kindness, compassion, and condolences. The men were still missing as of 13:00 on Friday and that police were still on the scene,
Sarah Giles, who runs a local community swimming group on Facebook, said the news had saddened
it.
Ms Giles said. "He [Matthew] swam all year round, knowing what he was doing. We've lost an experienced swimmer.Budleigh is a very small town, and he left a lasting impression on the neighborhood,
Ms Giles, a retired and has been swum most days in Budleigh Salterton for the past six years, visited the beach about 08:30 on Thursday, but decided not to participate due to the weather and details from the Windy App.
You had two or three waves all together,The waves were crashing at 10 ft (about 3 meters) high.
she said.They were scary and the tide was a lot higher up the beach.
That backwash is just as dangerous.I watched one person kneeling in the rain, and the next thing he's going to have to get up and run back because there's a wave sweeping around his feet.
she said.That day, a lot of people were put in risk, but I don't think should have been,
Mike Brown, 60, who has lived in Budleigh Salterton for almost 30 years, said the sea conditions on Thursday were the worst he had ever seen. Mr Brown said he only made it out with the help of two very brave guys
and suffered minor injuries after being unable to get out.
I was crashing into the stones in successive waves, but I was drowned,he said.
I had no energy left to stand, and I'd dealt a few blows to the head. "These two guys, who had no concern for their own safety, leapt in to assist me.
Additional reporting by Kris Bramwell.
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