Two men have died in four days in the waters near Falmouth, in two unrelated incidents.

The body of 24 year old local man Ben Morris was found at Rosemullion Head on Friday, August 8, at around 9am.

He reportedly left home at around 7pm the previous evening, carrying a snorkel, a weight belt and a dry suit, to go swimming in the Helford River, and a large scale search was sparked at around 10.45pm after he failed to return home.

Marc Thomas, coastguard sector manager for South Cornwall, said: “The parents got concerned, and knew he was coming to Mawnan Church, they came down and located his car.

“We had an extensive search throughout the night involving coastguard rescue teams from Falmouth and Porthoustock, both Falmouth lifeboats, and the police helicopter, then in the morning the Lizard lifeboat and the search and rescue helicopter from Culdrose joined in.”

The body was found by the search team from Culdrose just before low water and recovered by the RNLI, before being transferred to the helicopter and taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro.

A Facebook tribute to Ben from former employers St Mawes Ferries, said: “I am very sad to post the loss of an outstanding young man with such great prospects who died today. He worked for the ferry service whilst a student and before pursuing his chosen career. “Ben's family and friends are in our thoughts and with great thanks to all those who searched so hard to find him.”

Other Facebook tributes included one from Peter Tullett, who posted: “Ben you were a pleasure to spend time and work with. A Gentleman lost to the sea, too soon, doing the thing you loved. We'll go jigging again. Sweet Dreams.”

Izzy Roach wrote: “Ben it was an absolute pleasure knowing you, you've made a massive impact on so many people's lives, you'll be truly missed. My thoughts are with your family at this horrible time. Rest in peace Mr Morris.”

Becca Ellis added: “Benjamin Morris RIP, thoughts are with you and your family, always making the HSE diving more fun even when it was snowing. It was a pleasure diving with you! You will be truly missed.”

In a separate incident the body of another man was recovered from Port Pendennis Marina on Sunday evening following a hunt for a vulnerable missing person earlier in the day.

A search of the Inner Harbour involving Falmouth's inshore, all-weather, and boarding boats, along with Falmouth Coastguard cliff rescue team and the rescue helicopter from RNAS Culdrose had been initiated at around 11.30am, and was called off just after 1.30pm.

Falmouth's inshore lifeboat was called from St Mawes Lifeboat Day after a body was spotted in the water at the marina, and crews recovered it from the water shortly after 6pm before passing it to the police.

An RNLI spokesperson said: “It is believed that the body recovered may have been connected with this previous search and the thoughts of the lifeboat crew go out to the family and friends of the casualty.”

Although a formal identification has yet to be carried out, police believe the body to be that of a vulnerable man in his 60s from Redruth, who had been reported missing and whose car was found in a Falmouth car park that morning.

Next of kin have been informed, police are making enquiries, and the death is not being treated as suspicious.