Rugby rallies around family of missing former England star Tom Voyce
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The rugby union community has come together to support the family of missing ex-England wing Tom Voyce. It’s thought he may have lost his life while attempting to drive across a flooded river during Storm Darragh.
Northumbria Police reported that a 43-year-old man is thought to have entered the River Aln close to Alnwick in Northumberland. Authorities are currently conducting a search for Voyce, who has been missing since Saturday.
The rugby community has taken to social media to express their condolences and support for Voyce's family and friends.
Matt Dawson, the England scrum-half who won the World Cup and played with Voyce at Wasps from 2004 to 2006, shared a photo of Voyce on Instagram. In his post, he wrote: “One of life’s truly amazing individuals… I’m struggling to express how saddened I am at the moment… The Dawsons are sending love and strength to Anna and the entire family.”
England Rugby posted on X, which was previously called Twitter: “We are thinking of and sending our prayers to the family and friends of Tom Voyce during this difficult period.”
Gloucester Rugby took to X to share their sorrow, stating: "We are deeply saddened to learn about the troubling news concerning our former player and friend, Tom Voyce."
“We are sending our heartfelt condolences to Tom's family and friends during this challenging period.”
The British & Irish Lions shared on X: “We extend our deepest condolences and support to Tom Voyce’s family and friends as they navigate this incredibly tough time.”
Premiership Rugby expressed their deep sadness about the situation involving Tom Voyce, stating, "The entire team at Premiership Rugby is heartbroken by this news."
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family and friends.”
Bath Rugby shared on X: "We are keeping Tom Voyce's family and friends in our thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time."
A representative from Northumbria Police mentioned: "Currently, we believe that Tom tried to drive his car across Abberwick Ford, but it was then swept away by the river's current."
Authorities have since located his vehicle, but unfortunately, Tom has still not been discovered.
"It is thought that during his efforts to get away, he was swept off and unfortunately lost his life."
On Sunday morning, authorities were alerted that Voyce, known for playing as a wing or full-back throughout his career, had not come back home after spending the night out with friends.
Chief Superintendent Helena Barron of Northumbria Police stated, “This is a deeply sorrowful event, and our hearts go out to Tom's family and friends during this difficult period.”
"Our team remains dedicated to assisting his family during this time, and we kindly request that their privacy is honored."
Thorough investigations have been underway since worries about Tom emerged, which involved bringing in specialized teams to look for him.
We are still looking for Tom, but it's proving to be difficult due to the tough situation we are facing.
Chief Superintendent Helena Barron of Northumbria Police,
The investigation has involved expert personnel from the Marine Division of the police, the National Police Air Service, as well as drones and canine units.
Volunteers from the North of Tyne Mountain Rescue have been assisting in the search efforts together with Voyce's family and friends.
Barron stated, “We are still searching, but the situation is incredibly difficult as we work to bring Tom back.”
"This is a result of the circumstances, such as the river's current and the water level rising significantly due to the very heavy rainfall we had over the weekend."
"We want to express our gratitude to our fellow Mountain Rescue team for their ongoing support, as well as everyone who has assisted with the search efforts."
The individuals conducting the searches have been working together in an organized way and are either trained or have a good understanding of the local environment and landscape.
The public is requested to refrain from coming to the area to carry out personal searches.
The representative mentioned that Voyce’s wife, Anna, along with their entire family, has conveyed their appreciation for the assistance and support received from the police, friends, and the local community in the search for Voyce.
A representative from the Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) stated that they received a call from Northumbria Police about the incident at 2:10 PM on Sunday.
"Our Swift Water Team joined the effort and brought portable lighting equipment to help with the search," they explained.
"Our teams also ensured that the car was secured to the riverbank."
The police have since suspended NFRS.
“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the missing individual during this extremely challenging time.”
During his career, Voyce earned nine appearances for the England national team. He played at Wasps for six years, from 2003 to 2009, contributing to their success in both European and domestic competitions. He made the move to Wasps from Bath and later transferred to Gloucester in 2009.
He played 220 matches in the Premier League before he hung up his boots in May 2013.
