A 12-year-old boy has died after drowning in the River Lea in north-east London, police have confirmed.
Emergency services were called to the river near Hackney Marshes on Sunday morning, where the boy was found in the water. Despite the efforts of paramedics at the scene, he was pronounced dead.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the boy’s body was recovered from the river and that his death is being treated as unexplained but not suspicious. A file will be prepared for the coroner.
Hackney Marshes is a well-known open green space straddling the River Lea, popular with families, dog walkers, and sports players, particularly on weekends. The area sits on the border of Hackney and Waltham Forest and draws large numbers of visitors during warmer months.
The tragedy has prompted renewed concern about water safety for young people in and around London’s rivers and waterways. Campaigners and safety organisations have long warned that rivers like the Lea can be deceptively dangerous, with strong currents, cold temperatures, and poor visibility beneath the surface even when conditions look calm from the bank.
The Royal Life Saving Society UK has previously highlighted that open water drowning remains a serious risk for children and teenagers, particularly during the spring and summer months when warm weather encourages people to swim in rivers, lakes, and reservoirs that carry hidden dangers.
Authorities have not yet released the identity of the boy, and inquiries into the full circumstances surrounding his death remain ongoing. Police are expected to be speaking with witnesses who were in the area at the time.
Local residents and community members have expressed their grief following the news, with many taking to social media to share condolences for the boy’s family.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by open water, with safety experts urging parents to talk to their children about the risks of swimming in rivers and other unguarded waterways.