Specialist diver who failed to find tragic Nicola Bulley in river is REMOVED from National Crime Agency expert list
A DIVE expert who disagreed with the police hypothesis that Nicola Bulley had fallen into a river has reportedly been removed from the National Crime Agency's experts list.
Peter Faulding’s Specialist Group International scoured the River Wyre for the missing mum for three days before pulling out of the search.
He believed they had done all they could to try and find her - and claimed there was no way she could be in “that section of the river”.
But on Monday cops pulled Nicola’s body from the banks of the river just half a mile from where she disappeared.
The tragic find brought an end to more than three weeks of extensive searches after the mum-of-two vanished without a trace on January 27.
Now SGI has been dropped from an official list of experts recommended to assist in investigations on the Expert Advisers Database, reports
MORE ON NICOLA
However the group could be reinstated after an internal review.
A spokesman for the National Crime Agency told the publication: “The NCA does not employ, endorse or accredit experts on our adviser database.
“The database is subject to continual review and its purpose is to maintain a list of expertise UK law enforcement can draw upon when required.
“We proactively seek feedback from customers regarding experts' performance and contribution. The monitoring of performance equally applies to individuals and organisations who become involved in investigations without NCA engagement.”
Most read in The Sun
Faulding and his team decided to pull out of the search on February 8.
The diving expert offered his services to her devastated family for free, using £55,000 equipment to scan the lake.
His team searched the area near the park bench where her belongings were found and beyond.
Faulding disagreed with the hypothesis that Lancashire police said they were working with - which suggested that she had fallen into the river while walking her dog.
Mr Faulding had previously declared: "If Nicola was in that river, I would have found her. She’s not there."
Mr Faulding last night insisted it was "totally unfair" to suggest he had given the family "false hope".
He said: "If I gave them false hope, then what about the police search teams there every day? I was there for three days as a volunteer.
"I think that would be totally unfair to be honest with you, and I would sling the hook and give up searching.
He explained: "The police search teams walked that river every day. Up and down, up and down.
"When we searched that part, she was not laying on the bottom of the river, but we were only there for one day.
"We are going down with a boat towing the sonar. We're not searching reeds."
Mr Faulding added that his team had been unable to see anything on their sonar scans and maintained that he had only said Nicola would not be found between the bench where she went missing and "the weir".
When contacted by The Sun Peter Faulding said: "We have had correspondence with the National Crime Agency but are not at liberty to comment on matters pertaining to the Expert Advisor’s Database at this time or the reported review of SGI’s inclusion on the database. We will be seeking further clarification on the issue.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
"SGI’s operational ability and expertise is not in question. We are proud of our record in specialist search and rescue operations, conducted over many decades, during which we have worked with police departments and other agencies to the high standards expected of nationally recognised specialists.
"On the Nicola Bulley search we were tasked with assisting Lancashire Police with the river search element of the operation, and we conducted this to the highest standards. Our intention at all times was to provide help and assistance to the police, and to Nicola’s family.Our thoughts at this time are with Nicola Bulley’s family and we would ask all parties to respect their wishes for privacy."