Overview
- CCTV footage on Friday, October 23 appeared to show a man leave a Goodrington hotel in shorts and a T-shirt and enter the sea, after which he did not return.
- Emergency services launched a coordinated nine‑hour search that involved Torbay RNLI, Exmouth RNLI, Solent Coastguard, local police, drone teams and coastguard rescue units and found no one.
- Torbay RNLI said Storm Austen produced force five to eight winds and turbulent seas that severely hampered the ability to spot or recover a casualty during the operation.
- While searching, volunteer crews also towed a small fishing vessel with engine failure to safety, illustrating that teams handled simultaneous incidents in difficult weather.
- Searches concluded after overnight and daylight sweeps with crews put ashore to check rocks at Roundham and no trace or identification of the man has been confirmed, leaving the incident unresolved.