A specialist diver who was involved in the search for Nicola Bulley has joined searches for missing student Sebastian Sailes in Wiltshire. The 21-year-old was last seen at Lovers Walk after leaving the Black Horse Pub in Chippenham at around 11.30pm on Thursday, February 27.
Search efforts have been ongoing to find where UWE student Sebastian went and what happened to him, including dive teams which have searched the River Avon near where he was last seen. It is believed Sebastian headed south on Avon Valley Walk, towards his home in Notton, after leaving the pub. However, he did not reach his home and concerns for him are growing.
The river remains a key search spot for Wiltshire Police. The Daily Mail reports that the specialist diver who assisted in searches for Nicola Bulley in 2023 has been spotted and photographed in the area. According to the Mail, Peter Faulding joined searches for Sebastian on Monday, March 10 with his own team.
Mr Faulding was seen at the River Avon, 17 miles from where Sebastian was last seen, on Monday with Specialist Group International (SGI). He reportedly spoke briefly to Wiltshire Police officers at the scene but it did not appear as though they were working together. Avon and Somerset Police were also at the scene with a dive team.
SGI and Mr Faulding assisted in searches for Nicola Bulley, who was found dead in the River Wyre, Lancashire three weeks after she went missing in January 2023.
Last week, Wiltshire Police shared what the force had been doing to search for Sebastian, including dive searches in the river and drones in the sky. County Chief Inspector Ben Huggins said: “We’re here today with further search activity for missing person Seb. We are conducting multiple, extensive enquiries. We have deployed a dive team into the river which remains one area of focus for us.
“But in addition to that we also have searches ongoing with drone footage and drones up in the sky, we have active enquiries ongoing within the housing estates and footpaths, and we’re continuing to review CCTV options and following up all lines of enquiry.
“You will continue to see an increased police presence in the area, and we continue to have our neighbourhood policing team based within the town centre and the mobile police van. Please do feel free to go up and engage with them and talk to them if you have any concerns or any information to share.
“We continue to appeal for anybody with any information to come forward. If you do think you have that piece of footage, whether it be a Ring doorbell or dash cam, please do let us know.
“There’s a missing young man at the heart of this, and our absolute goal is to find Seb. So if you do have any information at all, please come forward.”
Sebastian’s family issued their own emotional appeal earlier this month, saying they are “extremely anxious” to find out what happened to the young man. They said: “We are a very close family and are all extremely anxious and praying for the safe return of our much-loved son Sebastian. We are unbelievably grateful for the efforts of the police and all the amazing volunteers.
“The public support has been heart-warming, and we appeal to anyone who may have information to contact Wiltshire Police immediately, in the hope that our beautiful boy is returned to us safe and sound.”