A survivor of a Christmas Day swim that is feared to have claimed two lives has described entering the sea as a ‘mistake’ after being rescued from what he called the ‘worst ever’ water conditions he has encountered.
Survivor Recalls 'Worst Ever' Conditions
Mike Brown, one of the swimmers pulled from the water by rescuers, told the BBC he regretted the decision to take a festive dip off the coast of Budleigh Salterton in Devon. The incident occurred on Thursday morning during an informal annual event. Mr Brown stated the conditions were far worse than normal, with hindsight making it clear it was an error to enter the water.
He described how two local men saw him struggling amid waves estimated at six feet high and risked their own safety to help. After one rescuer was knocked over by a wave, they tried again and managed to reach Mr Brown as he fought to stand. “They took an arm each and dragged me to safety,” he said, adding that the ordeal was over quickly once he was back on the beach.
Two Men Missing After Attempted Rescue
Two people remain missing and are feared dead. They have been named as 63-year-old antiques dealer Matthew Upham and an unnamed man in his 40s. It is believed the younger man may have entered the water in an attempt to aid Mr Upham after seeing him being dragged along by the powerful waves.
Video footage from the morning shows rough conditions, with the local coastguard later describing them as ‘atrocious’. Waves were consistently reported to be five to six feet tall, with larger swells reaching up to ten feet.
The family of Matthew Upham paid tribute to him on social media, calling him ‘deeply loved’ and thanking the emergency services for their efforts. A single yellow rose was left on the doorstep of his antiques shop in the town. Friends described him as a very fit daily swimmer who knew the local waters well.
Emergency Response and Community Questions
The alarm was raised at around 10:25am, prompting a major response from emergency services. Exmouth and Beer Coastguard rescue teams, RNLI lifeboats, and a search and rescue helicopter were all deployed. The coastguard search was called off after 5pm.
In a statement, Exmouth Coastguard Rescue Team praised the swift response of all agencies, particularly the RNLI crew who put to sea “without hesitation in an atrocious sea state.” They confirmed that while searching, officers also had to safely clear people from the beach.
The tragedy has raised difficult questions in the local community. Some participants reportedly believed an RNLI boat seen offshore was present to support the swim, though it was later understood to be on an exercise. The lifeboat crew responded immediately when people got into trouble.
As the festive swim had no central organiser, there was no single entity to call it off despite the dangerous conditions. In the aftermath, local police advised people not to enter the water on Boxing Day, and other planned swims were cancelled.
Businesses in Budleigh Salterton have organised collections for the RNLI, and floral tributes have been left on the beach. One tribute read: “To the two special souls who were tragically lost at sea yesterday.” The community is now left grieving while also reflecting on the risks taken by both participants and the emergency services who came to their aid.
