A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder in Alderney after a woman was found dead in the early hours of this morning (Monday 28 September).
Guernsey Police said that they received a report on Sunday 27 September of an incident in Alderney.
It led to emergency services, including the RNLI lifeboat, attending the cliffs around Alderney known as The Guns.
At 4:28am on Monday, Channel Islands Air Search reported a sighting of a person in the water at the base of the cliffs.
After a joint rescue operation, a woman was confirmed deceased.
Alderney is the third-largest of the Channel Islands, with a population of a little over 2,000 people. Credit: ITV Channel
The 44-year-old male suspect was treated in Alderney Hospital before he was transferred into police custody.
Alderney is the third-largest of the Channel Islands, with a population of a little over 2,000 people.
In a statement, Detective Superintendent Jonathan Bancroft said that “efforts are ongoing” to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident, adding that police will support those who may be affected.
“Our thoughts and condolences are with the woman’s family and those who are close to her at this extremely difficult time.” Detective Superintendent Bancroft stated.
“This is a fast-moving investigation, so we would ask the public to refrain from speculation while initial enquiries are completed.
“We do not believe there is an ongoing risk to the wider community in Alderney.”
The male suspect has been transferred to Guernsey for police interview.
Full Statement from Detective Jonathan Bancroft from Guernsey Police :
Good afternoon, I’m Detective Superintendent Jonathan Bancroft from Guernsey Police. At 11:04 pm last night Sunday, the 27th of September, Guernsey Police received a report of an incident in Alderney. This led to a search and rescue operation being launched around the cliffs and locally as The Guns.
At approximately 4:28 am this morning, Monday, the 28th of September, Channel Islands Air Search reported the first sighting of the person in the water at the base of the cliffs. A joint rescue operation involving Bailiwick emergency services, the RNLI, and the French Coast Guard subsequently took place. Sadly, a woman was confirmed deceased. Guernsey Police has now launched a criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.
A 44-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder. He was initially receiving treatment at the hospital in Alderney and has since been transferred into police custody. Our enquiries are at an early stage, and work is continuing to establish exactly what happened and support those affected. Currently, we are not looking for any other suspects, and we do not believe there is an ongoing risk to the wider community in Alderney.
Our thoughts and condolences are with the woman’s family and those who are close to her at this extremely difficult time. Specialist officers are supporting them and keeping them updated as the investigation progresses. It is very important to emphasise that this remains an active investigation. A man has been arrested on suspicion of an offence, but no conclusion should be drawn from that arrest.
We are keeping an open mind as to the circumstances, and our enquiries will be guided by the evidence. There will continue to be a significant emergency services presence in Alderney while this work is carried out. I would ask people to avoid speculation, particularly on social media our enquiries continue. Alderney is a small and close-knit community, and we recognise the significant impact an incident of this nature will have. Speculation can cause additional distress to those directly affected and has the potential to interfere with an ongoing investigation.
Finally, I would ask anyone who has any information that may assist the investigation to contact Guernsey Police on (01481) 22222. Thank you.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated as more comes in…
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