A 12-year-old boy died on Saturday evening after getting into difficulty in the River Lea close to Hackney Marshes in north-east London, with his body recovered from the water by police divers. Fire crews and Metropolitan Police officers had rushed to the scene following reports of a person in the river, but the boy was pronounced dead at the location.
The London Fire Brigade said it responded to reports of someone in the water in the River Lea, near Hackney Marshes, on Saturday evening. Multiple crews searched the river in cooperation with the Metropolitan Police before officers recovered the boy's body.
What time did the emergency unfold, and how large was the response?
The London Fire Brigade initially said it was alerted just after 18:00 BST, though the brigade's updated incident page now states the emergency call was logged more precisely at 18:03. The response involved fire engines dispatched from Homerton, Leyton and Leytonstone stations, alongside specialist Fire Rescue Units sent from Edmonton and Bethnal Green, as well as the brigade's drone team, which assisted in the search of the waterway. Firefighters were originally reported to have left the scene just after 21:30 on Saturday, but the brigade's incident page now records the operation as concluding for fire crews at 21:38.
How has the local community reacted to the boy's death?
Hackney's mayor, Zoë Garbett, said she was deeply saddened by the news and extended sympathy to those closest to the boy.
All of our thoughts are with the child's family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.
She also praised the emergency services for the speed and scale of their efforts on Saturday.
This is a devastating loss for our community, and I know many will be feeling a deep sense of shock and sadness. The boy's family will need time to grieve this unimaginable loss, so please respect their privacy.
Has the River Lea at Hackney Marshes been the scene of similar tragedies?
The stretch of the River Lea running through Hackney Marshes has previously been linked to fatal drowning incidents. One earlier case involved teenager Jack Susianta, who died in the nearby Lee Navigation area in 2015, a death that prompted an inquest and later scrutiny of how police had handled the incident, according to a national broadcaster's earlier report. That 2016 inquest concluded with a verdict of accidental death, with evidence presented that Susianta had been experiencing drug-induced psychosis at the time, as reported by the Hackney Citizen.
Key Facts
- A 12-year-old boy drowned in the River Lea near Hackney Marshes on Saturday evening.
- The emergency call was logged at 18:03 BST, according to the London Fire Brigade's updated incident record.
- Fire engines from Homerton, Leyton and Leytonstone attended, supported by specialist rescue units from Edmonton and Bethnal Green and the brigade's drone team.
- The boy's body was recovered by Metropolitan Police divers, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
- Firefighters remained at the scene until 21:38, per the brigade's incident page.
