London police have launched an investigation after a man was found dead beside a tunnel on Regent’s canal.
A member of the public called the police at about 9am on Thursday after finding the body by the entrance to the 880-metre Islington Tunnel, which disappears beneath Muriel Street in Islington.
The body was believed to be that of a man, but the age of the victim was unknown, a Scotland Yard spokeswoman said. Police were treating the death as suspicious and it was being investigated by officers from the force’s homicide and major crime command.
Van crew and divers are assisting @MPSIslington with an incident that has forced the closure of the Regents Canal. Will update when reopened
— MPSonthewater (@MPSonthewater) September 24, 2015
Several hundred metres of the canal were cordoned off each side of Caledonian Road, Islington, as investigators wearing white boiler suits search the area and divers scoured the water on Thursday afternoon.
At least two white investigation tents had been set up on the towpath beside the canal. A police officer on the scene said the cordon was likely to remain in place overnight.
Police investigating at Regents Canal, Islington after the discovery of a body this morning. pic.twitter.com/VkGR86Nklw
— Jessica King (@JessLSKing) September 24, 2015
A number of narrow boats were caught inside the cordon, according to one owner, Jeff Zedic, who said officers were not allowing him through the cordon to reach his home.
The teacher said he had not heard any particular commotion outside his boat overnight, adding: “It’s very loud at night down there, anybody walking by you can hear it.”
He said people sometimes paddled through the tunnel in canoes, small boats and even on inflated inner tubes, despite warnings from canal authorities that no non-powered boats were allowed to travel through it.
