An urgent rescue operation is underway after an 11-year-old school girl was seen “entering” the River Thames. An “extensive search” is under way to find an 11-year-old girl after she entered the River Thames in east London, the Metropolitan Police said.
The force said it was called at around 1.15pm on Monday to reports the girl had entered the river near Barge House Causeway, near London City Airport. All emergency services are forming a “large-scale response” to the incident. Residents reported seeing police choppers scouring the capital’s waterway. The girl’s next of kin have been made aware and are being supported by officers.
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A resident has recalled the moment the little girl “disappeared into the tide”.
The woman, who lives close to the place the 11-year-old was last seen, told The Sun: “So what we understand is the girl was playing down by the water.
“She was with two other kids. Obviously we were thinking, why aren’t they in school? But I think a lot of schools are off for Eid.
“She apparently called her dad and asked if she could take her shoes off and paddle in the water because it was hot.
“The little boy was holding her hand to help her step in the water but obviously she slipped, because it’s really slippy.
“As soon as she fell she was gone. She just disappeared into the tide. The boy came running to one of my neighbours for help but it was too late.”
A mother has said she carried a life ring to the Thames shoreline to try and save an 11-year-old girl who had entered the water, but she was unable to find the child.
Lifelong area resident Kerry Benadjaoud, 62, told the PA news agency: “My neighbour next door, she was outside doing her garden and there was two little kids running, and they said ‘my friend’s in the water’.”
The neighbour called Ms Benadjaoud, who said she then went to pick up a nearby life ring.
The London Fire Brigade has joined the RNLI and the LAS in standing down from the search, leaving just the Met Police to continue scouring the River Thames.
An LFB spokesperson said: “The brigade was first called about the incident at 13:23. Search operations for firefighters were concluded at 15:49 when responsibility for the incident was left with the police.”
The search has now been ongoing for over five hours
The RNLI has confirmed their lifeboat was stood down in the search this afternoon.
An RNLI spokesperson said: “Tower RNLI was requested to launch this afternoon (31 March) to an incident near Woolwich. The lifeboat was later stood down.”
Here’s what we know so far about the 11-year-old girl who fell into the Thames in North Woolwich this afternoon:
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) confirmed they were working with several other agencies in the search for the person in the River Thames. They are carrying out a systematic search of the area.
An LFB spokesperson said: “Firefighters have been called to reports of a person in the River Thames near Lowestoft Mews, Newham.
“Crews from East Ham, Barking, Ilford and Bexley fire stations have been sent to the scene alongside crews from the HM Coastguard, RNLI, London Ambulance Service and the Metropolitan Police Service. The Brigade has also deployed its drone team and fire boat as part of its response, and crews are currently carrying out a systematic search of the area.
“The Brigade was first called about the incident at 1323, and crews are currently carrying out a systematic search of the area.”
Updated information from the Met Police and London Ambulance Service reveal that the girl entered the River Thames from the northern bank in North Woolwich. The Police reported the location as “near to Barge House Causeway, E16”, while the LAS reported it as Lowestoft Mews, E16, which runs parallel.
A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called at 1.19pm today (31 March) to reports of a person in the water at Lowestoft Mews, E16. We have sent resources to the scene, including an ambulance crew, an advanced paramedic, an incident response officer and members of our hazardous area response team (HART). The incident is ongoing and we are working with our emergency services partners.”
In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: “Police were called at around 13:15hrs on Monday, 31 March to reports of an 11-year-old girl who had entered the River Thames near to Barge House Causeway, E16.
“A large scale response is ongoing, supported by all emergency services, working together to conduct an extensive search in efforts to locate her. Her next of kin have been made aware and are being supported by officers.”
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