A body was found in the sea near Bude at about 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 31 during the search for Alexander Key, 37, a chef reported missing from Boscastle, police said Monday. Officers believe the remains are his, pending identification.
Devon and Cornwall Police said the man was pronounced dead at the scene and that the case is not being treated as suspicious. Key is the longtime partner of Assisi Jackson, Mick Jagger’s granddaughter. The search drew local and national attention for more than a week along the rugged north Cornwall coast. A file will be prepared for the coroner while investigators complete formal identification and post-mortem steps. Key’s relatives thanked police, coastguard crews and volunteers and asked for privacy.
Key was last seen in Boscastle on the weekend of Jan. 23–24, according to police updates during the search. CCTV images released by officers showed him walking alone toward Boscastle Harbour on Jan. 24. Earlier sightings placed him at a village pub on the evening of Jan. 23. After he was reported missing, police, HM Coastguard and local volunteers searched paths, coves and cliffs between Boscastle and nearby communities. On Jan. 31, a call brought officers and coastguard teams to the water off Bude, several miles up the coast, where a body was recovered in fading light, police said.
Officials have not released a cause of death. Investigators said there were no early signs of third-party involvement and that evidence gathered so far points away from criminal activity. Formal identification procedures will confirm whether the body is Key. Police did not name a spokesperson in written updates but said a report is being compiled for the coroner, who oversees inquests into unexplained or sudden deaths in England and Wales. The force added that family liaison officers are supporting relatives during the process. The time of the coroner’s initial review has not been announced.
The search followed a week of poor weather along the north Cornwall coast, where steep cliffs and narrow harbor walls frame small fishing villages. Boscastle sits at the mouth of the River Valency and is known for strong currents and fast-changing conditions in winter. The area has a history of difficult rescues; in past years, coastguard teams have carried out rope and water operations on nearby headlands and beaches. Police had earlier released still images from surveillance cameras to help the public recognize Key’s clothing and route toward the harbor on Jan. 24. Community pages in Cornwall shared the appeal widely, and local businesses posted the notice in windows.
Procedurally, the coroner will review initial findings and set next steps, which can include a post-mortem examination and, if needed, an inquest hearing to establish who died and how, when and where the death occurred. Police said they will continue to handle inquiries until identification is complete and the coroner assumes primacy. If the coroner orders an inquest, a short opening could be scheduled in the coming days to confirm the name and outline the scope, with a fuller hearing later. Police did not say when the body would be formally identified or when post-mortem results might be available.
The news reached Boscastle early Monday as shops opened along the village’s steep lanes. Outside the harbor, a few residents paused to watch coastguard trucks head back to base. “It’s very sad. People here did what they could,” said a café worker who helped share the missing-person appeal. A pub regular who joined a weekend foot search described the mood as “quiet and respectful.” Police said Key’s family expressed gratitude to search teams and to neighbors who checked paths and bays along the coast.
As of Monday morning, police maintained that identification remained pending and said further updates would follow from the coroner. The coastal search has ended, and officers are documenting the recovery and next-of-kin notifications. Any additional details, including results from a post-mortem and any inquest scheduling, are expected to be confirmed in the coming days.
Author note: Last updated February 2, 2026.