Searches continue for Tom Voyce as tributes paid to former England player

Efforts are still underway to locate former England winger Tom Voyce, who is thought to have lost his life while attempting to drive through a swollen river during Storm Darragh. The 43-year-old's vehicle has been retrieved from the River Aln, close to Alnwick in Northumberland, where he was trying to navigate a shallow crossing.

Rescue teams assembled early Wednesday morning to search the riverbanks, starting from the crossing between Bolton and Abberwick and continuing all the way to the ocean at Alnmouth.

On Wednesday morning, the water-level gauge at the crossing indicated that the river was still about one foot deep. However, it would have been significantly deeper during the weekend when Storm Darragh hit the UK hard. Nearby, a bouquet of red roses had been placed by the riverbank at the crossing.

Voyce has been missing since Saturday, and the news of his potential passing has deeply impacted the rugby union community. Matt Dawson, a World Cup-winning scrum-half for England who played with Voyce at Wasps from 2004 to 2006, shared a photo of Voyce on Instagram. He wrote: “One of life’s truly remarkable individuals… I’m at a loss for words for how sad I feel right now… All the Dawsons are sending love and support to Anna and the entire family.”

England Rugby expressed on X, "We send our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to Tom Voyce's family and friends during this very tough period." Gloucester Rugby also shared their sentiments, stating, "We are deeply saddened by the heartbreaking news about our former player and friend, Tom Voyce. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends as they navigate this incredibly difficult time."

A spokesperson for Northumbria police stated: “Currently, it's thought that Tom tried to drive through Abberwick Ford, but his car got caught in the river's current. While officers have managed to locate his vehicle, unfortunately, Tom has not been located yet. It is feared that in his effort to get away, he was carried off by the water and has, sadly, lost his life.”

On Sunday morning, the police were alerted that Voyce, who had a career playing as a wing or full-back, had not come back home after spending the night out with friends. Chief Superintendent Helena Barron from Northumbria Police stated, "Our officers are providing ongoing support to his family and we kindly ask for their privacy to be honored. We have been carrying out thorough investigations since concerns for Tom were expressed, which includes deploying specialized search teams."

The search has involved specialized officers from the marine unit, the National Police Air Service, drones, and search dogs. Additionally, volunteers from the North of Tyne Mountain Rescue and the Northumberland National Park Mountain Rescue Team have been joining Voyce’s family and friends in their efforts.

The public is urged to refrain from going to the location to carry out their own searches. A representative from the police stated that Anna, Voyce's wife, along with the entire family, has conveyed their heartfelt thanks for the assistance and support provided by the police, friends, and the local community in the effort to locate Voyce.

Throughout his career, Voyce represented England in nine matches and played for Wasps for six seasons, from 2003 to 2009. During his time there, he contributed to their success in both European and domestic competitions. He transferred from Bath and later joined Gloucester in 2009. In total, he played 220 matches in the Premiership before hanging up his boots in May 2013.