Girl, 15, dies after being rescued from river as onlookers describe 'huge sense of panic'

A 15-year-old girl has tragically died after being rescued from a river following a huge emergency response.

Emergency response teams raced to banks of the River Rhymney, in Cardiff, on Friday evening.

Witnesses described a multi agency operation which included firefighters, paramedics, police and coastguard.

Search boats and a search helicopter were deployed and though the teenager was found she could not be saved.

One member of the public who is at the scene, said there are ‘dozens’ of emergency services at the scene, reports Wales Online.

Witnesses described scenes of "panic" (Richard Swingler)

Dan Cooper, 22, from St Mellons, said: “I was driving down and saw two fire engines shoot past us. As we followed up the road we were told to move back and couldn’t get any closer.

“Everyone here is so worried. We haven’t seen anything like this before.”

Earlier one member of the public had said: “There is a huge sense of panic here especially now because more emergency services have arrived."

Police line a road in Llanrumney during the emergency rescue operation (Richard Swingler)

There was a heavy emergency response after the girl got into difficulty in the river (Richard Swingler)

A spokesman for South wales Police said: "We were called today at 5.20pm to a report of a girl in the river in Ball Lane, Llanrumney.

"We attended with a number of other emergency services and the police helicopter.

"At about 6.40pm a 15-year-old girl was located and despite the best efforts of emergency services she sadly passed away."

An air ambulance was just been spotted flying over Cardiff from the University Hospital of Wales, towards the scene.