Police have launched an urgent appeal to find nine-year-old Salimatou who vanished from Bournemouth beach at the height of Saturday’s summer crowds, sparking a major air and sea search operation.
The young girl was last seen near Bournemouth pier at approximately 12.30pm on Saturday afternoon, with Dorset Police expressing growing concern for her welfare. She is described as black with braided hair and was wearing a distinctive black and pink floral swimsuit when she disappeared.
HM Coastguard confirmed they were alerted at 1.50pm and immediately deployed a search and rescue helicopter alongside coastguard rescue teams. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) launched lifeboats from Mudeford, Poole and Swanage in a coordinated effort to locate the missing child.
Inspector Robin Morgan of Dorset Police said officers were conducting extensive searches along the popular tourist beach. “We are growing concerned for Salimatou’s welfare and are carrying out searches to try and locate her,” he stated. “I would urge anyone who has seen Salimatou or a child matching the description given to please get in touch.”
The disappearance occurred during peak beach conditions on one of the busiest weekends of the summer season. Bournemouth beach, which stretches for seven miles along the Dorset coast, was packed with thousands of visitors enjoying temperatures of 26°C (79°F) under sunny skies.
Police are particularly appealing to beachgoers who were in the vicinity of the Victorian pier around lunchtime. The iconic 1,000-foot structure, which houses restaurants, amusements and the RockReef activity centre, is a focal point for families visiting the resort.
“If you have any current sightings of Salimatou, please call 999 immediately,” Inspector Morgan emphasised, highlighting the urgency of the situation as the search entered its critical early hours.
The multi-agency response demonstrates the seriousness with which authorities are treating the disappearance. HM Coastguard, which coordinates all maritime search and rescue operations in UK waters, mobilised resources from multiple locations along the Dorset coast.
RNLI volunteers from three separate lifeboat stations joined the search effort, with crews scanning the waters off Bournemouth beach. The charity’s lifeboats from Mudeford, situated to the east near Christchurch, Poole to the west, and Swanage further along the Jurassic Coast, all responded to the emergency call.
Coastguard rescue teams, trained in beach searches and water rescue operations, were deployed along the shoreline. These volunteer teams work alongside the RNLI and are coordinated by HM Coastguard’s operations centre, which manages all maritime emergencies in the region.
The search operation comes during the peak summer season when Bournemouth’s beaches are protected by RNLI lifeguards operating between 10am and 6pm daily. The resort operates the Allianz KidZone safety scheme, which provides free waterproof wristbands to help reunite lost children with their families.
Bournemouth beach has been a premier seaside destination since Victorian times, attracting millions of visitors annually to its golden sands and clear waters. The main beach areas, divided into East and West sections either side of the pier, are both lifeguarded during summer months.
Weather conditions at the time of Salimatou’s disappearance were described as ideal for beach activities, with the Met Office reporting sunny intervals and light winds. The calm conditions should aid search efforts both at sea and along the extensive beachfront.
The Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area attracts over seven million visitors each year, with the summer months seeing the highest footfall. Saturday’s warm weather would have drawn particularly large crowds to the seafront, potentially complicating search efforts.
Local businesses and beach staff have been alerted to the missing child alert. The pier’s various attractions, including indoor climbing facilities and restaurants, would typically be busy on a Saturday afternoon during the school holidays.
Police officers are conducting systematic searches of the beach area, checking with families and examining CCTV footage from the numerous cameras along the seafront promenade. The force is working closely with BCP Council’s seafront services team, which manages beach safety operations.
The disappearance has prompted safety reminders about the importance of keeping close watch on children at busy beaches. Despite generally calm conditions and lifeguard patrols, the combination of crowds, water and numerous attractions can create challenging environments for supervising young children.
Anyone with information about Salimatou’s whereabouts is urged to contact Dorset Police immediately via their website at www.dorset.police.uk or by calling 101, quoting occurrence number 55250121793. For immediate sightings, the public should call 999.
As darkness approaches, the urgency of locating Salimatou intensifies. Search teams remain deployed across the beach and surrounding waters, with emergency services maintaining their coordinated effort to find the missing nine-year-old and reunite her safely with her family.
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