The body of a man in his 60s has been discovered floating in the River Medina this morning (Wednesday) – just hours after a large scale search was launched following reports of a person calling out for help.
HM Coastguard were alerted to the find at around 08:15 this morning with Cowes RNLI lifeboat and Ventnor Coastguard Rescue Team immediately tasked to the scene.
The body was located near to The Folly Inn and has now been recovered to a jetty on the Cowes side of the river, where detectives from Newport CID are in attendance alongside a forensic photographer.
Police have confirmed that they were called at 07:41 this morning following the discovery of a man’s body in the water. The family of a man, aged in his 60s, who was reported missing from Cowes this morning, have been informed although formal identification procedures remain ongoing.
The death is not being treated as suspicious and a file is being prepared for the coroner.
As previously reported by Island Echo, Coastguards from Bembridge and Ventnor were called out at around 01:30 this morning, alongside Cowes Lifeboat, to reports of a possible person in the water near to the Floating Bridge. The search was called off when nothing was found.
It is currently unclear if the 2 incidents are connected.
HM Coastguard have been approached for a statement
Think that many will share the thought that a 90 minute search couldn’t have been very thourogh to be honest.
1. It hasn’t been confirmed the incidents are connected
2. You’re making such a negative statement about a service that is voluntary for the most part. Dedicated people who consistent leave their families at any time of the day and night to help people the best they can. It must be such a kick in the teeth when people such as yourself belittle their efforts. One day it could be you who needs your help.
Their deserve more respect than they get!!
Nice to see the armchair experts out in force.
In terms of maritime searching, 90 minutes in a harbour is a thorough search. The lifeboat searched waterborne (four people) and the coastguard rescue teams searched both sides of the river (up to 24 people). These people are all volunteers, who give up their time to try and save the lives of others. Most of these volunteers would have attended both callouts, one at 0200 and one at 0800 and after recovering a body, had to then go to work as normal.
If you have a problem with the searches, speak to the experts at HM Coastguard, who are the tasking authority, they decided when an asset is launched, where it goes and what it does. Better that than denigrating the work of hard working volunteers, who give up their time to help people like you.
How awful for his family. May he rest in peace and people give his family the respect they should have.
Why Ventnor coast guard if lifeboat present. Way coast guard drive will cause serious accident one day .
Have you considered they are rushing to an emergency that could mean the difference between life and death? They are an emergency service after all
Off the tide was incoming at the time of his immersion in the water it’s obvious he would float down stream. Not a very though search me thinks of 90 minutes.
Looking at the tide times – I don’t think that’s conclusive for that area where the tidal patterns are extremely different with water flooding and ebbing at the same time – I am not sure where it states that this was the search from earlier that night. I think it’s unfair to judge on facts not known and information only available to emergency services –
Is any of this relevant a poor man has lost his life condolences to his family