The search for a 14-year-old diver who went missing on Tuesday while diving off the Devon coast has been called off.
The search for a 14-year-old diver who went missing on Tuesday afternoon while diving off the Devon coast has been called off. Louis Price, from Newport in South Wales, was diving with his father at Berry Head, Devon when he disappeared.
Louis Price and his father, who has not yet been named, had been diving from a RIB. The father was the first to surface and the boy was seen to surface shortly after. However, the RIB, which was not carrying a VHF radio, failed to start and was unable to pick up the divers.
While calling for help from nearby dive charter boat Jennifer Ann, the boy's father realised his son had disappeared.
A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police said: 'He [Louis] was described as being seen slightly tilted backwards as though his jacket was inflated and was buoyant in no apparent signs of distress.
'Having surfaced there appears to have been problems trying to start the small RIB and the father subsequently called for help from a passing charter boat who came to assist. It is at this point that all parties lost sight of the young boy.'
Jennifer Ann issued a Mayday and began to undertake a search for the missing 14-year-old.
A full-scale search was launched on Tuesday afternoon, coordinated by Brixham Coastguard and involving Coastguard Rescue Teams, RNLI lifeboats, police divers and other pleasure vessels in the area, along with helicopters from the Coastguard, Royal Navy and RAF. It resumed on Wednesday morning, but was later called off.
As we all find out- keeping close to a buddy on the surface if there is any sea movement requires valuable energy. I keep a 3m buddy-line permanently clipped onto a ring in one BC pocket against the day I surface and find problems with surface cover. On that day I will clip onto my buddy and be able to relax about separation while awaiting pickup/discovery..
