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Former England Rugby player Tom Voyce is presumed to have died after his car was swept away in a river during Storm Darragh. The Northumbria police said on Sunday morning, Voyce had not returned home after he spent an evening with friends. The police further said that it is believed the former Rugby player attempted to cross Abberwick Ford in his car, which unfortunately, swept away due to the current of the river.
The car was recovered but officers didn’t find Voyce, and it is believed that he was swept away during his attempt to escape and has died. Northumbria Police’s Ch Supt Helena Barron said in an official statement, “This is an extremely tragic incident, and our thoughts are very much with Tom’s loved ones at this time. Our officers continue to support his family and we would ask that their privacy is respected. Extensive inquiries have been ongoing since concerns were raised for Tom, including deploying specialist teams to search for him.”
We are dealing with very challenging circumstances in trying to recover Tom: Northumbria Police
The statement from the Police further read, “Our searches continue but we are dealing with very challenging circumstances in trying to recover Tom. This is down to the conditions, including the river flow and the level being significantly heightened due to the exceptionally heavy rain we experienced over the weekend. Sadly, we can therefore not provide any timescales around this. We would like to thank our colleagues from Mountain Rescue for their continued support and all those who have helped with the searches.”
The Northumbria Police is said to have deployed specialist officers from its marine section alongside the National Police Air Service, drones and dog handlers in the search. Notably, the 43-year-old played for clubs like Bath and Wasps during his career.
