A man who went missing while swimming in the Mersey has been named by police after the search for him was suspended.
Haydn Griffiths was last seen while at the Derby Pool, in New Brighton, at around 10.30pm on Tuesday as he went swimming with a friend. The 23-year-old was attempting to swim out to the nearby wind turbines when he disappeared in the water and didn't resurface.
A massive search was launched by the Coastguard and lifeboat volunteers but was called off at around 5pm on Wednesday. Now, Merseyside Police are continuing to carry out enquiries into the disappearance.
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In a statement, officers issued a description of Haydn and said he was last seen wearing dark-coloured swimming shorts. Haydn is white, 6ft 1in tall, of athletic build with short blonde hair and blue eyes.
The force added: "We are this evening, Wednesday 20th July, continuing to carry out enquiries following reports that a 23-year-old man, Haydn Griffiths, has gone missing while swimming in the River Mersey off New Brighton at around 10.30pm last night (Tuesday).
"Haydn was last seen in the water at the Derby Pool, New Brighton, wearing dark coloured swimming shorts attempting to swim towards the windmills in the area. An extensive search of the river was carried out last night and today by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency but Haydn was not found and the search has now been suspended.
"Haydn is white, 6ft 1in tall, of athletic build with short blonde hair and blue eyes. Enquiries remain ongoing to find Haydn."
After suspending the search, a spokesperson for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: “We have carried out an extensive search across the area and the missing person has – sadly - not been found. The search is now being suspended.
"Our thoughts and those of all our coastguard colleagues are with the family and friends of the missing man.”
A spokesperson from the RNLI also confirmed this, as they told The ECHO: "Hoylake’s Shannon class RNLI lifeboat was re-launched this afternoon to continue a search for the missing swimmer. The volunteer crew were paged at 2.33pm and the lifeboat searched an area around the Burbo Bank Offshore Wind Farm.
"The coastguard helicopter based at Caernarfon was also tasked. Both assets have now been stood down."
If you see Haydn or have any information, please contact us via @MerPolCC on Twitter, 'Merseyside Police Contact Centre' on Facebook, 101, quoting reference 22000518807.
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