Heatwave death toll hits 23: Body of man in 20s found in River Thames

Heatwave death toll hits 23: Body of man in his 20s is found in River Thames hours after he was spotted getting into trouble in water while swimming in 32C temperatures

• Emergency services called to Hampton Court area of river at 4.12pm yesterday
• Large police presence scoured the area, with response dinghies on the riverbank
• But a body was recovered from the water by police divers at around 10.30pm
• Came a day after teen boy and 21-year-old man died swimming during heatwave

The body of a man ‘in his early 20s’ has been pulled from the River Thames after getting into trouble while swimming – as the UK’s heatwave death toll reaches 23.

Police, paramedics, firefighters and lifeboat crews rushed to the Hampton Court area of the river following reports a person ‘getting into trouble in the water’ at around 4.12pm yesterday.

A police helicopter was called to the scene as a desperate search operation ensued, but the body of the man was recovered from the water by police divers at around 10.30pm. His next of kin have been informed.

Police officers could be seen in the area, as emergency response dinghies lay on the riverbank. 

Superintendent Richard Smith, Acting Commander for the South West, said: ‘Our thoughts go out to the young man who has lost his life. 

‘Our officers worked incredibly hard with partner agencies but despite a rapid response he could not be rescued.

‘We recently saw another tragic incident in which a young boy died after entering the Thames at Tagg’s Island. I must again sadly reiterate the dangers the water poses.

‘It may look appealing but the danger and risk of loss of life is incredibly real. Please do not enter the water at any point. 

‘The consequences are enormous and we do not want to see any more families having to suffer such terrible news.’

The London Ambulance Service was called to reports of a person in the water at around 4.15pm on Sunday

A large number of Metropolitan Police officers were pictured at the scene at Hampton Court Palace, Richmond

Emergency crews pictured searching for the man who is thought to have got into difficulty in the River Thames

London Ambulance Service crews were joined by a hazardous area response team on the bank of the river

A hazardous area response team carry a dinghy on the bank of the river close to Hampton Court Palace

A large presence of emergency services are seen next to the River Thames near Hampton Court, Richmond, yesterday

Emergency crews stand on the riverbank following reports that a young man got into difficulty in the water

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police added: ‘A multi-agency response was launched following a call to a person in the water at Hampton Court at 4.12pm on Sunday.

‘Officers from the South West Command Unit and Surrey Police, the National Police Air Service, as well as the London Fire Brigade, London Ambulance Service and RNLI, began searching the river.

‘At around 10.30pm the body of the man – believed to be aged in his early 20s – was recovered from the water by police divers. His next of kin have been informed.’

Max Taylor, a senior news editor at NBC, was paddle-boarding at Hampton Court Palace when the incident happened, and spoke to eyewitnesses.

‘They told me a young male in his mid-late teens was swimming in the river near Hampton Court bridge,’ he told Sky News.

‘He called for help and was in waist deep water. They said they thought he was joking as he wasn’t in deep water — seconds later he had disappeared.

‘I paddled past and saw the inflatable search boats go in and start looking for the young lad — but it must have been a good 10-15 minutes since I spoke to the couple in the boat.’

The tragic incident came just a day after a teenage boy and a 21-year-old man died swimming during a heatwave that saw temperatures reach 33C this weekend.

Emergency services rushed to reports that ‘a child under 16’ was in the water at around 6.15pm on Saturday. 

A search was carried out by police officers and the coastguard, before the boy’s body was recovered at around 11.30pm on Saturday.

Just two hours earlier, the body of a man was pulled from a lake in Doncaster.

An air ambulance landed as an urgent search was launched following reports a man had ‘got in to difficulty in the water’ in Lakeside, Doncaster, at around 4.10pm.

But South Yorkshire Police later confirmed a body had been recovered from the lake.

He has been named locally as Jay Walker, described as a ‘sweetheart’ by heartbroken friends and family yesterday.

Jay Walker (pictured) was named locally as the victim of an incident at a lake in Doncaster. He has been described as a ‘sweetheart’ by heartbroken friends and family

The body of a man in his 20s, named locally as Jay Walker, was been pulled from Doncaster Lake. Pictured: The air ambulance which landed after the urgent search was launched

Also on Saturday, an unidentified man was discovered in water at Park Lime Pits nature reserve in Walsall.

He was confirmed dead at the scene in Rushall after his body was spotted just after 10am.

Police officers have now launched an investigation and are treating his death as unexplained. Work is being carried out to identify the man and inform his family of his death, it has been confirmed.  

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