A teenage boy is feared to have drowned after getting into difficulty in the River Thames - making him the sixth to die since yesterday's Met Office weather warning came into force.
Metropolitan Police were alerted at 4.43pm by the London Ambulance Service to reports that a child had been seen entering the water at Tagg’s Island in Hampton. Officers, paramedics and the London Fire Brigade responded and after an extensive search involving members of the public,the operation was brought to an end at 6.40pm. Sadly the child was not found. Efforts to recover his body will continue into this evening.
The boy's next of kin are aware and are being supported by specialist officers, The Mirror reports.
READ MORE: Metro suspended between Haymarket, Regent Centre and St James due to line problems
Police are warning people to not swim in open water to cool off in these record temperatures.
It comes as Gateshead boy Robert Hattersley, 13 died following an incident in the River Tyne near Ovingham in Northumberland on Sunday afternoon.
Superintendent Richard Smith, from the South West Command Unit, said: “Despite the very best efforts of all involved, we must now sadly conclude that this young boy has died.
“His death is a tragedy and I cannot begin to imagine what his family will be going through. All our thoughts are with them.
“I know that on days like today when temperatures are at a record high, it might look appealing to jump in and cool off in rivers, reservoirs, lakes or other open water.
“Please don’t. The dangers are real and this evening in Richmond we have seen the terrible consequences of what happens when it goes wrong.
“To young people in particular, I would urge you to be the person in your group of friends who says no and reminds others about the dangers. Your intervention could save a life and save another family from experiencing such an awful loss.”
This lad's death is the sixth since the Met Office weather warning came into force yesterday.
Earlier today, one unidentified body was found in the River Irwell in Bury and the body of a 16-year-old boy was pulled from Bray Lake, near Maidenhead in Berkshire.
Yesterday (Sunday), three people died in heat-related incidents.
A 51-year-old man's body was recovered from the River Spey in Scotland, a 13-year-old boy died after getting into difficulties in the River Tyne near Ovingham, Northumberland, and a man died after falling overboard in Cromane Bay in, Northern Ireland.
READ NEXT:
- Huge search launched to find male seen in Northumberland river
- North East hour-by-hour weather forecast as heatwave brings scorching temperatures
- Met Office won't rule out another heatwave after July's extreme temperatures drop
- Northumberland blood scandal victim welcomes Andy Burnham's evidence over 'criminal cover-up'
- Two Cramlington triplet sisters living the dream after giving birth to daughters just weeks apart
