SEARCH FOR MISSING DIVER OFF DARTMOUTH


Brixham Coastguard coordinated a search this afternoon for a missing diver who had been diving the wreck of the Benton Castle in Start Bay but did not return to the dive boat.

The diver was reported missing to Brixham Coastguard at midday today by crew on board the dive boat.  They had searched the area for half an hour looking for the missing male diver before raising the alarm.  Brixham Coastguard requested the coastguard helicopter from Portland perform an airborne search of the area, also requesting the launch of the Dartmouth and Torbay RNLI lifeboats and sending coastguard rescue teams from Dartmouth and Berry Head to perform shoreline searches.  A Mayday relay broadcast asking any vessels in the area to keep a sharp lookout was also issued, with several other vessels in the area joining in the search.

David Colmer, Watch Manager, Brixham Coastguard said:

“Following a final sweep of the search area by the helicopter and lifeboats the search for the missing diver has now been stood down and the incident handed over to Devon and Cornwall Police.” 

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