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The family of Matthew Upham, one of two men who went missing while swimming on Christmas Day, have expressed their profound heartbreak over his disappearance. The incident occurred off the coast of Budleigh Salterton, Devon, shortly after 10:25 GMT on Thursday, when two men, aged in their 40s and 60s, went missing in the sea. Despite an extensive search by emergency services, including the coastguard and RNLI, the operation was called off around 17:00 with the men still unaccounted for.
Matthew Upham, who owned an antiques shop in Budleigh Salterton, was identified as one of the missing swimmers by his family through a statement posted on his business Instagram page. The statement emphasized the deep love and sorrow felt by those close to him, saying, “Our family is heartbroken by the loss of our beloved family member Matthew Upham, who was reported missing on Christmas morning.” It also conveyed gratitude towards the emergency responders for their efforts and requested privacy as the family copes with their grief.
Local community members have shared their reactions to the tragic news. Sarah Giles, who organizes a community swim group in Budleigh Salterton, described Mr. Upham as a well-known and experienced swimmer who contributed significantly to the town. She remarked, “Budleigh is a very small town, and he made a very big impact on the place,” adding that the group was saddened by the loss of someone so familiar with the water. Giles herself had been at the beach earlier in the day but opted out of the annual swim due to hazardous sea conditions, noting that the waves were over 10 feet high and particularly dangerous.
Mike Brown, a long-term resident of Budleigh Salterton, also spoke about the severity of the sea conditions on that day. Describing them as the worst he had ever encountered, Brown recounted how he struggled to get out of the water and was only rescued with help from two individuals who risked their own safety. He explained, “After successive waves crashing me into the stones, I managed to get into relatively shallow water, but I was spent… I had no energy left to stand and I’d taken a number of blows to the head.” The ongoing investigation continues, with a police presence remaining at the scene as inquiries proceed
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