Police recover body of teenage boy, 15, who went missing while swimming in the River Thames on hottest day of the year
- Thames Valley Police said a 15-year-old boy was found in the River Thames
- Search teams worked overnight to find the boy at a popular swimming spot
- The tragedy struck hours after a woman was found dead two miles away
Police have pulled the body of a teenage boy from the River Thames after teams spent all night searching.
Thames Valley Police said on Twitter officers were at the river between Bourne End, Buckinghamshire, and Cookham, Berkshire, yesterday at 3pm after the boy went missing while swimming on the hottest day of the year.
The tragedy struck just hours after a woman was found dead two miles away at 7.15am yesterday morning.
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.’
The boy’s next of kin has been informed, his death is being treated as unexplained and not suspicious, and a file will be prepared for the coroner.
Thames Valley Police said the woman’s death at Boulter’s Lock is being treated as unexplained and formal identification has yet to take place.
Thames Valley Police said on Twitter officers were at the river between Bourne End, Buckinghamshire, and Cookham, Berkshire, yesterday at 3pm after the boy went missing while swimming on the hottest day of the year. Pictured, the River Thames
The body was discovered just yards away from The Boathouse pub and restaurant, which is situated on the banks.
A post-mortem examination was to be carried out on her frail body and a file prepared for the Berkshire coroner, who was expected to open the inquest into her death this week.
A force spokesman said: ‘Officers are present in Boulters Lock, Maidenhead after a report of a woman’s body in the river at 7.15am today. The body was recovered from the water. Formal ID is yet to be established.
‘The death is currently being treated as unexplained and officers are working to establish the circumstances, and also identify a next of kin.
‘Boulters Lock and Cookham Lock are both closed at this time, and a scene watch is in place.
‘We would politely ask that members of the public avoid the area. Anyone with any information is asked to call 101, or report online, quoting reference 359 of 31/5.’
Speculating to the cause of her death, ice-cream vendor Joel Gluchy said: ‘It was the body of an old lady according to the lock keeper.
‘They haven’t said why she was in the water, but she might have slipped early this morning or it may have happened last night.
‘We do not know the cause of her death as nothing has been released yet but the lock has been shut virtually since 6am this morning, everything was reopened back up at around 3.45pm.
‘There were forensic blokes here, all the roads were cordoned off and there were many many police and ambulance vehicles.
‘It was this side of the lock, just behind the bridge. The boats that have been here since 6am this morning they have all passed through the lock now, but they started letting back through near enough 4pm.
‘It’s been backlogged all the way down, it’s all coming through now but more than 30 boats both ways,’ the 54-year-old added.
Vessels lined up along the edge of the Thames waiting to pass through the lock.
The River Thames near the spot where the woman’s body was found by a walker yesterday
A boat owner who had just made his way through the lock said: ‘We’ve just been in the queue for hours, we do not know what happened but they shut the lock and everyone had been waiting since to pass through.
‘They’ve only just reopened it, we’ve been waiting nine hours or so.’
Following the discovery, there was a huge police presence along the lock throughout the day as hundreds of walkers explored the stunning scenery on bank holiday Monday, basking in the sunshine and eating ice cream.
A waiter at The Boathouse at Boulters Lock said: ‘We’ve been told nothing, police are doing a speak no evil, hear no evil type thing.
‘I’ve been outside on the front door and everyone has been asking me what has been happening right outside our lock, we have no idea.
‘The body was found just before the bridge, that’s where most of the emergency vehicles were parked up. There were about six vehicles, I started work at 10.30am and that’s what I could see.’
Similarly, a resident of exclusive Boultes Cottages said: ‘The police told us nothing, they just cordoned off the area. It’s incredibly sad that someone has died so close to where we live.’
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