St Davids Search Ends After Body Found at Caer Bwdy 2026

Key Points:

• Body found during search of St Davids area where man, Ben, 47 years old, went missing.
• The body was recovered from the coastal region of Caer Bwdy which is located in the St Davids area of Pembrokeshire.
• Formal identification was still out, and Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed that the body cannot yet be officially identified as Ben’s.
• The last time when Ben was in touch with his family members was around noon on Wednesday, August 5, 2026.
• He is thought to have been planning on going rock climbing either at Carreg y Barcud region, Trelerw or at Caer Bwdy Bay.
• Ben’s family members were informed about the recovery of the body.
• The search operations were conducted by Dyfed-Powys Police, aided by HM Coastguard and RNLI.
• It was stated in the reports that the overall search process involved air and sea search teams, including lifeboats, Coastguard helicopters and the search aircrafts.

St Davids (Wales Times) August 7, 2026 – Body found in search for uk/local/st-davids/">St Davids man Ben, aged 47, who had been reported missing after he was believed to have planned a rock-climbing trip along the Pembrokeshire coast. Police said the body was located in the Caer Bwdy coastal area, but formal identification had not yet taken place.

Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed that Ben’s family had been informed of the development. The force said officers were not yet in a position to confirm the identity of the deceased and asked the public to respect the family’s privacy while enquiries continued. The family is being supported by specially trained officers.

The update followed a major search operation involving emergency services along the coast near St Davids. Ben had not been seen or heard from since around midday on Wednesday, August 5, when he was believed to have been preparing to go rock climbing.

What happened during the search for Ben?

According to Western Telegraph, Ben was reported missing from St Davids after telling his family that he intended to go rock climbing. The areas identified in the appeal included Carreg y Barcud, near Trelerw, and Caer Bwdy Bay, just outside St Davids.

Concern was raised when Ben’s family did not hear from him for several hours. Dyfed-Powys Police then led a multi-agency search operation focused on the coastline and the locations where he was believed to have planned his climbing trip.

WalesOnline reported that the search involved a Coastguard boat and helicopter. Other coverage identified a broader response involving HM Coastguard, the RNLI and additional search-and-rescue resources. The Pembrokeshire Herald reported that two all-weather lifeboats, an inshore lifeboat, a Coastguard helicopter and a specialist fixed-wing search aircraft had been deployed during the operation.

The different resources reflected the difficult nature of the search area, which includes exposed coastal ground and stretches of shoreline associated with rock climbing. However, the authorities have not released a confirmed explanation for how the person died.

Where was the body discovered?

The body was found in the coastal area of Caer Bwdy, a location near St Davids in Pembrokeshire. Caer Bwdy Bay was one of the locations identified during the missing-person appeal because Ben was believed to have planned to climb there.

The discovery was made as emergency services continued searching for Ben. Dyfed-Powys Police said the location of the body was being treated as part of the ongoing investigation and that formal identification remained outstanding.

Reports have used slightly different spellings when describing the location, including Caer Bwdy and Caerwdy. The police statement cited by Tenby Today and other media outlets referred to the “coastal area of Caer Bwdy, Pembrokeshire”.

No further details about the condition of the body, the circumstances of the discovery or a possible cause of death had been released in the reports available at the time of publication.

What did Dyfed-Powys Police say?

A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesperson said: “As part of the search for missing Ben from St Davids, a body has been found in the coastal area of Caer Bwdy, Pembrokeshire.”

The spokesperson added: “Formal identification has not yet taken place, and while the family have been informed of this development, we are not in a position to confirm the identity of the deceased at this time.”

The statement continued by saying that the family was being supported by specially trained officers. Police also asked that the family’s privacy be respected while enquiries continued. The wording was reported by Western Telegraph, WalesOnline and Tenby Today.westerntelegraph+2

The police statement did not confirm that the body was Ben. Although the location and circumstances were consistent with the original search area, formal identification is required before the force can officially establish the identity of the deceased.

Which emergency services were involved?

Dyfed-Powys Police led the search operation, supported by HM Coastguard and the RNLI. The operation included searches from the air and sea, according to reports covering the missing-person appeal and the subsequent discovery.westerntelegraph+1

WalesOnline reported that a Coastguard boat and helicopter were deployed. The Pembrokeshire Herald reported that the response also included two all-weather lifeboats, an inshore lifeboat and a specialist fixed-wing search aircraft. These resources were used during the effort to locate the missing man along the coast.

The emergency services have not stated how long the search continued after the body was found or whether any further specialist searches were planned. Those details may form part of later updates from police or the organisations involved.

The operation also underlined the challenges faced by rescue teams working around the Pembrokeshire coastline. Coastal searches can involve cliffs, rocks, sea conditions and areas that are difficult to reach by land, although authorities have not provided a detailed operational assessment in this case.

What is known about Ben’s disappearance?

Ben was described in earlier reports as a 47-year-old man from St Davids. Dyfed-Powys Police said he was last in contact with his family at approximately midday on Wednesday, August 5. He was believed to have been intending to go rock climbing in the St Davids area.

WalesOnline reported that police described him as about 5ft 11in tall, with an athletic build, short brown or greying hair and brown eyes. At the time of his disappearance, he was believed to have been carrying an orange bag and wearing black climbing shoes with an orange strap.

The original appeal asked anyone who had seen or spoken to Ben after midday on August 5 to contact Dyfed-Powys Police. The appeal included reference number 429 from August 5 and directed members of the public to contact the force online or through the 101 service.

Following the discovery of the body, the focus of the investigation shifted from locating Ben to confirming the identity of the deceased and establishing the circumstances surrounding the death.

What has police said about the family?

Police confirmed that Ben’s family had been informed after the body was found. Officers also said specially trained personnel were supporting them during the investigation.

The force’s request for privacy means that further personal information about the family is unlikely to be released unless relatives choose to make a statement or police provide additional information as part of the investigation. Media reports have not named family members or published comments from them.

The police have not confirmed whether the family has formally identified the body. The statement instead made clear that formal identification had not taken place at the time of the update.

The absence of formal identification also means that reports referring to the deceased as Ben must be treated carefully. The search was for Ben, and the body was discovered in a location linked to the search, but Dyfed-Powys Police had not officially confirmed the identity.

What are the next steps in the investigation?

The next steps are expected to include formal identification and enquiries into the circumstances of the death. Police may also work with partner agencies and the coroner, although no detailed timetable or procedural update was included in the reports.

A formal identification is necessary before officers can definitively confirm that the body is Ben’s. Further information about the cause of death may only be released after examination and consultation with the relevant authorities.

Dyfed-Powys Police has not announced any criminal investigation in connection with the discovery. There is also no reported indication of third-party involvement. The available information only confirms that a body was found during the search and that enquiries were continuing.

The force is expected to issue further information if and when it is appropriate to confirm the identity or provide details about the investigation.

What is the background to the development?

St Davids is located on the Pembrokeshire coast, an area known for its cliffs, bays and outdoor activities, including walking and climbing. Ben’s planned destinations, Carreg y Barcud near Trelerw and Caer Bwdy Bay, were central to the police search because they were the places he was believed to have intended to visit.westerntelegraph+1

The search began after Ben’s family raised concerns about his welfare when he did not make further contact. Police and maritime rescue organisations then searched the relevant coastal areas using land, sea and air resources.

The case developed from a missing-person appeal into a recovery operation after the discovery at Caer Bwdy. However, until formal identification takes place, Dyfed-Powys Police has not confirmed that the body is Ben’s.

The reports used for this article were published by Tenby Today, Western Telegraph, WalesOnline and the Pembrokeshire Herald. The accessible reports did not provide author names for attribution; therefore, statements have been attributed to the named media outlets and Dyfed-Powys Police rather than to unnamed individual journalists.westerntelegraph+3

How could this development affect local residents and climbers?

For Ben’s family, the discovery marks a significant development but does not yet provide formal confirmation of identity or a publicly stated cause of death. Local residents and visitors should avoid entering any area that remains subject to police or emergency-service activity and should follow instructions from officers and rescue teams.

Climbers and coastal visitors may also face temporary access restrictions if parts of Caer Bwdy or nearby locations remain relevant to the investigation. They should check current notices before travelling, avoid approaching search or recovery operations and take account of changing coastal conditions.

The development may prompt renewed attention among local outdoor users to route planning, communication and safety arrangements when climbing or walking alone. It does not, however, establish that any particular factor caused the death, and no official conclusion about the circumstances has been released.