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Father's 20-Year Mystery Solved: Drowned in Drug Smuggling Bid
22 Jan
Summary
- A father vanished 20 years ago during a suspected drug smuggling trip.
- He drowned in the English Channel in April 2004, a judge has ruled.
- The speedboat used was unsuitable for crossing the busy Channel.
A British father's 20-year disappearance has concluded with a High Court declaration of death, establishing he drowned in the English Channel in April 2004. Anthony Dugdale, 43, vanished after travelling to Calais, France, with a friend, Richard Patwell, towing a speedboat.
Initial investigations focused on angling, but evidence later pointed to drug smuggling. Mr. Dugdale's son, Danny, applied to the court for a declaration of death to administer his father's £33,000 estate.
Master Karen Shuman ruled that evidence indicated Mr. Dugdale, who was not an experienced sailor, drowned attempting to cross the Channel in an unsuitable speedboat. He had previously been rescued from the Channel during another crossing attempt.
Police concluded Mr. Dugdale and Mr. Patwell were on a drug run, using a cash-purchased, high-powered speedboat unsuitable for busy sea lanes. They turned off their phones before reaching Dover, and their car was found near the Belgian border.
Overnight on their departure, French authorities found holdalls containing cannabis floating in the Channel. The judge stated she was satisfied that Mr. Dugdale died between April 7 and April 9, 2004, likely after being hit by a container ship.
