Diving Expert Peter Faulding Slams BBC Over Nicola Bulley Search Drama
Peter Faulding, the diving specialist behind the search for missing Nicola Bulley, has hit back hard at his portrayal in the BBC’s latest documentary, The Search for Nicola Bulley. The film accused him of triggering a “false alarm” during the high-profile investigation, a charge Faulding vehemently denies.
The Controversial Search for Nicola Bulley
Nicola Bulley vanished on January 27, 2023, after dropping her kids at school and walking her dog near a Lancashire river. The search gripped the nation, with Peter Faulding and his team from Specialist Group International (SGI) playing a pivotal role.
In the documentary aired on October 3, Faulding was criticised for allegedly misleading Nicola’s family by insisting she wasn’t in the river. But Faulding took to social media to slam this portrayal as “unfair” and insists the filmmakers failed to show the full story.
Faulding’s Stunning Defence and Evidence
On October 4, Faulding shared a statement on X (formerly Twitter) and the SGI website, defending his team’s search efforts. “If Nicola were there, I would have found her,” he stressed, citing nearly 30 years of dive search experience.
Faulding revealed his sonar equipment picked up signs of Nicola’s body on February 7, just six minutes into the scan. Yet, he claims police never fully investigated this lead or even requested the sonar data.
He also released sonar images showing what he says is a distinctive “fetal position” shape in the river. Despite this, Nicola’s body wasn’t recovered until February 19, nearly two weeks later.
Criticism, Regret and the Quest for Truth
Faulding stressed it was “never our intention” to distress Nicola’s loved ones. He expressed regret that his sonar findings were overlooked and blasted experts who reviewed the case based only on “basic PDF images” rather than proper data.
An independent College of Policing review in November 2023 claimed Faulding’s remarks caused “unwarranted distress and false alarm” and added to “public confusion.” The BBC has refused to comment on Faulding’s allegations.
Family Calls For Legacy, Social Media Sparks Debate
The documentary features touching interviews with Nicola’s long-term partner Paul Ansell, who vows to give her the “legacy she deserves.” The family’s statement said their goal is to “provide a definitive record” of Nicola’s story.
The case has also shined a spotlight on social media’s role in missing persons investigations, stirring debate over managing public speculation and conspiracy theories online.
The Nicola Bulley saga remains one of the UK’s most talked-about missing person cases, blending tragedy, controversy, and a tangled search for the truth.
