Wrecked car recovered from Alderney in murder probe

April 26, 2025 — A badly damaged car found at the foot of the cliffs on Alderney has been lifted out and flown to Guernsey by a Royal Air Force Chinook, in a major operational step linked to the murder charge against Simon Benfield. The car is associated with the death of Hannah Benfield, whose body was discovered near the same spot during a search last Monday.

The vehicle had come to rest at the rugged headland known as The Guns, below a steep drop that made ground recovery impossible. Yesterday, with a police cordon in place around the top of the cliffs, a specialist rope unit from Avon & Somerset Police began work. They attached rigging to the car and guided it up to a level area, where it could be lifted by an RAF Chinook. The helicopter then carried the car across the Little Russel to Port Soif on Guernsey’s north coast, setting the load down onto a waiting trailer.

Guernsey Police had contacted the Ministry of Defence earlier in the week to request the heavy-lift helicopter, a step that underlines the unusual demands of this investigation. The operation also required coordination between police and military personnel, with safety the priority at every stage. In a brief public message, the force thanked the MOD and Avon & Somerset Police for their support.

The car’s recovery is part of a wider inquiry into Hannah Benfield’s death. Police previously confirmed that the wrecked vehicle was located on the rocks beneath The Guns during the same search-and-rescue effort that recovered her body. The discovery of the car helped narrow the focus of the investigation, and within days her husband, Simon Benfield, had been charged with murder.

No detailed description of the car has been given. Police have not said what condition it was in, whether there were signs of a collision, or how it came to be in that spot. The vehicle has now been placed in secure storage in Guernsey, where forensic experts will begin a detailed assessment. Potential evidence from the car, including anything that may have been left inside, could be central to the prosecution case.

Hannah Benfield’s family has asked for privacy while coming to terms with her death. In a statement posted on social media yesterday, they expressed gratitude to islanders who left flowers at the family shop in St Anne. The message read: “The amount of love that has been shown for Hannah and to all of us has been completely overwhelming. At such an incredibly difficult time, the kindness of our island community has meant more than we could ever put into words.”

The family also announced that the floral tributes would be moved to The Guns over the next few days, so that memories of Hannah’s life could be shared at the site where she was found. Rather than more flowers, they have asked that donations be made to Channel Islands Air Search, St John Ambulance, and Alderney Lifeboat – charities that contributed to the search and rescue efforts.

Alderney’s small size has made the tragedy feel especially personal. The island has a population of only around 2,000, and news has spread quickly. Many locals have expressed disbelief that such an event could happen on their doorstep, and there has been quiet support for the Benfield family since the charge was brought. The police cordon around The Guns has attracted curious onlookers, although investigators have repeatedly asked people to stay away from the site.

The exact sequence of events leading up to Hannah Benfield’s death remains unclear. Police have said only that the car was recovered as part of the investigation, and have not offered any account of how it ended up at the bottom of the cliffs. This means that questions about whether the car was deliberately driven over the edge, or staged at the location after the fact, are still unanswered. Those questions are likely to be tested in court.

Simon Benfield was charged with murder and has not yet made a public statement. No date for his next court appearance has been announced, and no details about a plea have been disclosed. Legal proceedings in the Channel Islands tend to be slower than those on the mainland, and the judge will ultimately rule on what evidence can be presented to a jury. The recovery of the car will likely be a focal point in any case summary.

The involvement of outside resources has underscored how serious this investigation is. Avon & Somerset Police’s rope unit is one of the few teams in the country with the training to work in extreme cliff environments. The RAF Chinook, a heavy-lift helicopter, is more commonly seen during flood relief or disaster response, not daily policing. Their deployment shows the lengths to which officers are willing to go to ensure that evidence is recovered without contamination.

Port Soif was chosen as the landing site because it is one of the more open and accessible locations in Guernsey, allowing the helicopter to set down with a suspended load without interfering with local infrastructure. After unloading, the car was moved to a sealed facility outside the public eye. The exact location of that facility has not been revealed, and police have given no indication of when an examination will be completed.

The public response has been shaped by a desire to help. The appeal for donations to rescue charities has resonated across the islands, with several community groups already organising fundraising drives. Channel Islands Air Search, St John Ambulance and the Alderney lifeboat all depend on voluntary support, so the funds will provide a tangible benefit at a time of collective grief. The charities are run largely by volunteers and have long struggled for resources, making the donations especially welcome.

As attention turns to the court process, the memory of Hannah Benfield remains strong. While the car’s removal marks the beginning of the forensic stage, it does not close the book on the investigation. Many islanders will continue to follow the case closely, hoping that the truth will come out. The cliffs at The Guns remain quiet, the only reminders of Hannah being the flowers that the family will soon bring up from St Anne.

This article was updated on April 26, 2025.