The body of a man in his late teens who is believed to have drowned while swimming in a pond on Hampstead Heath, north London, has been recovered by police.
Police say the body, which has not yet been identified, was recovered from the water shortly before 11pm on Wednesday.
About 30 firefighters had been called to the park at 5.42pm, after reports that a man had been seen under water. But firefighters were unable to find the swimmer.
Local fire station manager Sam Kazmanli, who was at the scene, said: “Firefighters used three boats on the pond and carried out a methodical search. Despite our best efforts we were unable to locate the man.”
A police spokesperson said a body had been found and formal processes would take place within the coming days.
This evening we attended reports of a man under water in #HampsteadHeath http://t.co/EzLiiuYN2d #DrowningPrevention pic.twitter.com/j9XThx3e2S
— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) April 15, 2015
As temperatures rose to 25C in London on Wednesday – making it the warmest day of the year – London fire brigade warned of the dangers of cooling off in open water.
There were 669 water-related deaths across the UK in 2013, according to London fire brigade, which is two-and-a-half times the number of people who died in dwelling fires that year.
In London alone, over the last three years, firefighters have attended 136 incidents involving people in water and carried out 92 rescues.
Peter Cowup, an assistant commissioner of the London fire brigade, said: “Rivers, lakes and canals may look inviting, especially on a hot day and after a drink, but it’s important to realise that open water has hidden dangers that can hurt you and at worst kill you.
“Some moving water can look calm, but it may have strong currents below the surface which can leave even the strongest swimmers in danger.
“As the weather gets warmer, young people especially need to think about their behaviour around water and look out for their friends. We understand the water can be great fun and we don’t want to stop people enjoying it, but it’s important to be aware of the risks.”
Cowup said people should be aware of the dangers of cold-water shock, which causes a number of deaths every year, particularly among young people aged 16-30. “It can not only affect a person’s breathing but also their ability to move their muscles.”
