The search for the second swimmer who went missing during the Christmas Day swim at Budleigh Salterton in Devon appears to have ended with the discovery of a body off the coast of Exmouth.
On Sunday afternoon, January 25, emergency services recovered a man’s body from the sea near Exmouth following a large-scale operation. Authorities believe the body to be that of Matthew Upham, one of two men who vanished amid stormy conditions during the annual Christmas morning swim, an event that saw several participants in distress.
Witnesses reported seeing police and coastguard personnel near Orcombe Point in Exmouth, with a cordon restricting access to Sandy Bay. A local resident described the scene, noting the presence of two marked police cars, one unmarked police vehicle, and three coastguard vehicles. Officers were seen setting up tape and cones to close the beach, while the inshore lifeboat remained moored just off Orcombe Point.
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Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed that they responded to reports of a possible body near the shoreline shortly before 3 p.m. on Sunday and have since recovered the body. Identification is pending, but the family of a 64-year-old man from Budleigh Salterton has been notified.
Earlier in the week, the body of the other missing swimmer was found on the shore at Sandy Bay in Exmouth. That discovery occurred on Tuesday morning, January 20. Although formal identification is yet to be completed, police believe the deceased to be the 47-year-old man who never returned from the Christmas Day swim. His next of kin has been informed. The identity of this individual has not been publicly released.
Following the disappearance of Mr. Upham, his family issued a heartfelt statement on Boxing Day expressing their grief and gratitude. They thanked the emergency services, particularly the RNLI and coastguard, for their dedicated and professional response during a profoundly difficult time, and kindly requested privacy as they mourned their loss.
Authorities are now expected to open inquests into the deaths of both men as the community continues to come to terms with the tragedy.