Body of boy who disappeared in River Thames on Bank Holiday weekend found

The body of a teenage boy who went missing in the River Thames over the Bank Holiday weekend has been recovered, police have confirmed.

Thames Valley Police officers were called the river between Cookham and Bourne End, Berkshire, at around 3pm on Monday, May 31, after reports a teenage boy entered the water but was not seen leaving, BerkshireLive reports.

A huge search and rescue operation was carried out by officers accompanied by specialist divers overnight, but tragically the police have revealed they had found the body of a boy at around midday on Tuesday, June 1.

The boy’s next of kin have been informed and will be supported by specially trained police officers.

His death is being treated as unexplained and not suspicious, and a file will be prepared for the coroner, the force said.

Detective Inspector Mark Carolan, based at Reading police station, said: “Our thoughts remain with the boy’s family at this incredibly difficult time.

“I would like to thank the emergency services, local residents and the divers from Specialist Group International who assisted our officers in searching for the boy.”

Peter Faulding, founder and Chief Executive of SGI, said: “Every year we put out water safety messages and we urge people to take care around the water.

“The water is cold, there is danger of cold water shock and there are hazards such as underwater weeds that are not always apparent.

“We average 10 drownings a year and it is always teenagers.

“A few years ago there were two drownings within two weeks in exactly the same place.”

The Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service tweeted over the weekend: “We know it might be tempting, but please do not use open water such as rivers, lakes and canals to cool off.

“You have no idea what is below the surface and cold water shock can kill.”

It comes after officers were called to Boulters Lock, at the River Thames in Maidenhead on Monday, after a report of a woman’s body in the river at 7.15am.

The force said the woman’s death is being treated as unexplained and that formal identification has yet to take place, with officers working to establish the circumstances and to identify a next of kin.

Boulters Lock and Cookham Lock are both closed and police are asking that members of the public avoid the area.

On Sunday, a two-year-old boy was in a critical condition in hospital after being pulled from a lake in Hampshire by emergency services.

An 18-year-old man from Southampton, who officers said is known to the boy, has been arrested in connection with the incident.

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