UK UK - Owen Harding, 16, Saltdean, East Sussex, 26 Mar 2020

[IainD]

I noticed that LE was asking that searchers also look for discarded items like his phone and his shoes. Why would they think he would take off and discard his shoes especially if they think he may be walking 280 miles to see his girl friend?

Yeah I seen this posted on the find Owen FB page earlier today.

Owen is still missing and there have been no leads in finding him. If you live in Saltdean, Telescoomb, or along the coast road, please look out for white trainers, silver iPhone 7 with stickers on, his wallet (light beige/brown canvas), bank card or BusID.

Sadly I think that they fear he may have went into water voluntary.

 

[Rosiebones]

Are there significant tides in the English Channel? If he went into the water, how would his body not be found by now? Has the thought begun to change from walking to see his girl friend to being despondent and perhaps self harm?

 

[Sarahlou]

Are there significant tides in the English Channel? If he went into the water, how would his body not be found by now? Has the thought begun to change from walking to see his girl friend to being despondent and perhaps self harm?

Did the police ever really think he'd walked to see his girlfriend or was it just an idea from his mum and girlfriend? I think the self harm option is most likely unfortunately

 

[beforethegladness]

Saltdean sits atop a very high cliff. I recall a young man disappeared in the sea in nearby Newhaven some years ago; from memory, he was not recovered.

I do hope that this is not the scenario in Owen's case.

The Argus has shared a police appeal for a jogger to come forward. Looks like the jogger is wearing gloves from the photo.

 

[Rosiebones]

I have looked at the cliffs on Google maps both from overhead and from the street view and it doesn't appear that the water comes up to the base of the cliffs or is that because the view is at low tide? I guess what I am asking is, can a person jump from the top of the cliffs directly into the water to take their own life? From Google, it appears that they would just land on the sandy beach.

 

[IainD]

Did the police ever really think he'd walked to see his girlfriend or was it just an idea from his mum and girlfriend? I think the self harm option is most likely unfortunately

I think that was a theory that his mum had hoped was possible, I'm not sure LE was ever that convinced though.

I have looked at the cliffs on Google maps both from overhead and from the street view and it doesn't appear that the water comes up to the base of the cliffs or is that because the view is at low tide? I guess what I am asking is, can a person jump from the top of the cliffs directly into the water to take their own life? From Google, it appears that they would just land on the sandy beach.

I'm not local so not sure but I would think there would be some places that you could reach the water from the cliff's.
JMO

 

[IainD]

One of two people who may have seen missing Owen Harding from Saltdean on the evening he disappeared has come forward to assist police with their enquiries.

Do you recognise this person? They may have seen missing Owen Harding | Sussex Police

 

[beforethegladness]

The cliffs are very high. I can't imagine a person could survive falling from the cliffs in this area.

There is a coastal pathway up to Saltdean from Brighton that goes from the base of the cliffs, to the path, to the beach (pebbles, not sand), then to the sea.

You can see the path in this photo. The path finishes as the largest cliff starts. A fall from the largest cliff would likely head to the sea.

I am hoping for good news for Owen and his loved ones.

 

[Mind your biscuits]

The cliffs are very high. I can't imagine a person could survive falling from the cliffs in this area.

There is a coastal pathway up to Saltdean from Brighton that goes from the base of the cliffs, to the path, to the beach (pebbles, not sand), then to the sea.

You can see the path in this photo. The path finishes as the largest cliff starts. A fall from the largest cliff would likely head to the sea.

I am hoping for good news for Owen and his loved ones.

Thanks for posting that picture, it helps non locals to visualize the area.

 

[IainD]

The devastated mum of missing Saltdean teenager Owen Harding said the ‘outpouring of love and support from everybody’ is keeping her going

Devastated mum of missing Saltdean teenager Owen Harding issues message

 

[Frivolous]

'Runner' clue in search for missing teenage boy

 

[Aluev]

Are there significant tides in the English Channel? If he went into the water, how would his body not be found by now?

Not necessarily. My uncle drowned at sea as my aunt and him were swimming and started to head back to shore. When she turned her head he was nowhere to be seen. It wasn't until 2 weeks later when they found his body on a rock isle very far from where he went missing and the police were specifically searching for him at sea. It was in the middle of summer, too, with a mild weather.

I hope this really is not the case but it's worrisome that so much time has passed without contact or any sighting, especially these times that not many people are out and about.

 

[chimpface]

Not necessarily. My uncle drowned at sea as my aunt and him were swimming and started to head back to shore. When she turned her head he was nowhere to be seen. It wasn't until 2 weeks later when they found his body on a rock isle very far from where he went missing and the police were specifically searching for him at sea. It was in the middle of summer, too, with a mild weather.

I hope this really is not the case but it's worrisome that so much time has passed without contact or any sighting, especially these times that not many people are out and about.

Sorry to hear that Aluev.

 

[Rosiebones]

It seems to me that someone who is a strong swimmer and a certified lifeguard would find it hard to take their own life by going out into deep water. It seems that their skills would kick in and it would be very hard to suppress those instinctive reactions.
Although, as time goes by, I find it hard to come up with any other answer to his disappearance.

 

[Sarahlou]

It seems to me that someone who is a strong swimmer and a certified lifeguard would find it hard to take their own life by going out into deep water. It seems that their skills would kick in and it would be very hard to suppress those instinctive reactions.
Although, as time goes by, I find it hard to come up with any other answer to his disappearance.

Part of those cliffs are very high. If he jumped off surely the impact alone could kill him?

 

[Ironside]

Part of those cliffs are very high. If he jumped off surely the impact alone could kill him?

They’re 55 metres - double the high diving limit. Hitting water after falling so high would break every bone in your body.

 

[Sarahlou]

^ That is very high. Horrible to think that's possibly what happened. I hope his family get an answer soon.

 

[Rosiebones]

Undercliff Walk, Ovingdean, Rottingdean and Saltdean, Sussex
I found this as I was looking for pictures of the undercliff walking path. It goes for a distance down the coast and it seems that he would have to have known which part went directly into the sea and also the site mentioned steel fencing that prevented rocks from rolling down the cliff onto the pathway. Anyway, I am from Connecticut in the US and this helped to visualize the coast line, especially the pictures in Saltdean.

 

[beforethegladness]

I just had a long walk around my local area, Woodingdean. There were posters for Owen in the local shop and along the back track (a walk that backs onto farm fields). It was so sad to see his photo, knowing that there is still no news. I am sending Owen, and his loved ones, my very best wishes this Easter.

 

[IainD]

Not any new info in this article just says search continues, would be good to know if it's police or volunteer searches and where.
Search continues for missing Saltdean teen Owen Harding