Lawrence Dallaglio has expressed his sorrow after his former England teammate Tom Voyce was apparently swept away whereas crossing a flooded river, with the Rugby World Cup winner saying it has echoes of his family tragedy.
Voyce was believed to have died after making an attempt to flee his automotive when he acquired into issue crossing a ford on the River Aln, close to Alnwick, Northumberland, throughout Storm Darragh. The 43-year-old was final seen on Saturday and a significant search involving the emergency providers and volunteers continued on Wednesday.
The world of rugby expressed its shock and disappointment on the obvious lack of the previous England wing and full-back. Dallaglio, whose sister Francesca was killed within the 1989 Marchioness catastrophe on the Thames when a ship carrying party-goers collided with a dredger, despatched his finest needs to Voyce’s household.
Writing on X on Wednesday, Dallaglio stated: “It’s probably the most horrific information and all I might say at this juncture is that please allow us to all respect Tom’s household and their struggling proper now and maintain them in all our ideas.
“Having skilled the identical feelings myself when Francesca was lacking and presumed lifeless. Her physique wasn’t recovered for 4 days after the marchioness sank. It’s simply such a tragedy. Sending all my love x”
Dallaglio gained titles with Voyce once they had been each at Wasps and so they performed in the identical England sides.
Searchers gathered at first mild on Wednesday and scoured the banks of the river from the ford which is between Bolton and Abberwick to the ocean at Alnmouth.
A water degree indicator on the ford confirmed the river was nonetheless round one foot deep on Wednesday morning however it might have been a lot larger on the weekend when the storm drenched the Northumberland panorama.
A bunch of pink roses was left on the riverside by the ford.
It’s understood Voyce’s Toyota Hilux was recovered from the river a minimum of 15m downstream from the ford. Police believed he was swept away whereas making an attempt to flee his automobile. The alarm was raised on Sunday morning when Voyce had not returned residence following a night with buddies.
The search has included specialist officers from Northumbria police’s marine part, the Nationwide Police Air Service, drones and canine handlers.
Volunteers from the North of Tyne and the Northumberland Nationwide Park Mountain Rescue groups joined them, together with coastguard rescuers. Police divers scoured the riverbed, whereas different search specialists outfitted with poles waded downstream from the ford. Coastguard specialists, with a skilled canine on board, used a dinghy to hold out their sweep of the river. Members of the general public had been requested to not attend the scene to affix searchers.
Northumbria police stated Voyce’s spouse Anna and all his household had been grateful for everybody’s efforts to seek out him.
Voyce gained 9 caps for England throughout his profession and spent six years at Wasps, from 2003 to 2009, the place he helped them win European and home titles, transferring there from Tub after which leaving to affix Gloucester in 2009. He made 220 Premiership appearances earlier than retiring in Could 2013.
It was understood Voyce, who was raised in Cornwall, relocated to Northumberland lately after dwelling in London.
