Efforts to locate the missing former England winger Tom Voyce are ongoing, as it is believed he may have perished while attempting to drive across a flood-swollen river during Storm Darragh. The 43-year-old's vehicle has been retrieved from the River Aln, near Alnwick, Northumberland, where he had been attempting to cross using a ford.
Search teams began their operations at first light on Wednesday and will continue to comb the riverbanks from the ford between Bolton and Abberwick down to the sea at Alnmouth. A water-level indicator at the ford revealed that the river was approximately one foot deep on Wednesday morning, but it would have been significantly higher during the weekend when Storm Darragh hit the UK. A bouquet of red roses was left at the riverside by the ford as a poignant gesture.
Voyce has not been seen since Saturday, and the news of his suspected death has deeply affected the rugby union community. Matt Dawson, a World Cup-winning England scrum-half who played alongside Voyce at Wasps between 2004 and 2006, shared a photo of Voyce on Instagram with the caption: "One of life's wonderful humans... I can't express my sadness right now... All the Dawsons send their love & strength to Anna and the whole family." England Rugby expressed their condolences on X, stating: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Tom Voyce during this incredibly challenging time." Gloucester Rugby also shared their sadness, posting: "Gloucester Rugby is deeply saddened by the distressing news about our former player and friend, Tom Voyce. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends."
A spokesperson for Northumbria police said: "At this time, it is believed that Tom attempted to cross Abberwick Ford in his car, which was then carried away by the river's current. Officers have recovered his car, but sadly, Tom has not been found. It is thought that in his attempt to escape, he was swept away and tragically died." Police received a report on Sunday morning that Voyce, who played as a wing or full-back during his career, had not returned home after spending an evening with friends. Chief Superintendent Helena Barron from Northumbria police commented: "Our officers are continuing to support his family, and we ask that their privacy be respected. Extensive inquiries have been ongoing since concerns were raised for Tom, involving specialist teams in the search."
The search operation has involved specialist officers from the force's Marine Section, the National Police Air Service, drones, and dog handlers. Volunteers from the North of Tyne Mountain Rescue and the Northumberland National Park Mountain Rescue Team have also joined the search alongside Voyce's family and friends. The public has been asked not to attend the scene to conduct their own searches. The police spokesperson noted that Voyce's wife, Anna, and his entire family have expressed their gratitude for the support and assistance provided by the police, friends, and the local community in the ongoing search for Voyce.
During his career, Voyce earned nine caps for England and spent six years at Wasps, from 2003 to 2009, where he contributed to their European and domestic title victories. He moved to Wasps from Bath and later joined Gloucester in 2009. Voyce made a total of 220 Premiership appearances before retiring in May 2013.
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