Search for boy, 11, who went missing in river in South Yorkshire

A search has been launched for an 11-year-old boy who went missing after he was seen entering a river in South Yorkshire.

Police were called at 7.59pm on Saturday after the student was seen in the River Don near Ferry Boat Lane in Mexborough but was not seen leaving.

Doncaster Response Team Inspector Neil Pryce said officers knew where the boy entered the water due to eyewitness accounts and items left on the river bank.

Officers are searching for the boy along with firefighters, paramedics, the National Police Weather Service and an underwater search team.

Inspector Pryce said: ‘We know from eyewitnesses and items left on the river bank where the boy entered the water.

‘Using our specialist knowledge and skills, a multi-agency coordinated operation is underway and we are doing everything we can to find this young man.

‘We are being provided invaluable support by an underwater search team supported from above by a police helicopter and unmanned aerial vehicles. ‘This is a tragic incident and we understand that the public want to do what they can to help, but for the safety of everyone we must ask that only those involved in our operation enter the River Don.’

South Yorkshire Police said: ‘Officers as well as emergency crews from the National Police Air Service, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and Yorkshire Ambulance Service responded and a specialist search operation is ongoing.’

The boy’s family has been informed and they are being supported by specialist police.

His disappearance comes as at least 13 teenagers died after swimming in open water during the May heatwave, when the record for the hottest day of the month was broken twice in two days.

A 15-year-old girl died on Saturday after getting into trouble on a Merseyside beach on Monday.

Chiedza Nyanjowa’s family said he was a “joyous” person who “loved Jesus and went to church.”

Chiedza Nyanjowa was believed to be the 13th person to die in the May heatwave

Police Scotland on Friday named a 16-year-old teenager who died after experiencing difficulties in the water in Stirlingshire as Charlie Noble.

On Wednesday, the body of 14-year-old Baltazar L’Qui was found in the River Thames, while another teenage boy was found in a pond in Swanscombe, Kent.

On the same day, the body of a missing teenager who disappeared while swimming in a lake near Blackwater in Hampshire was found.

Two boys were found dead on Tuesday, including David Junior-Tita, 17, from Crewe, who died at Lake Pickmere in Cheshire.

Junior Slater, 12, also died after getting into trouble in the River Ribble in Lancashire.

Junior Slater, 12, and Declan Sawyer, 15, died while swimming in open water during this month’s heatwave.

That day police also found the body of a drowned 16-year-old boy from Sheffield who died in Rotherham lake after getting lost while swimming.

Mohammed Secka, who drowned the previous day, was described as a ‘cute, gentle boy’ who dreamed of becoming a doctor.

There were four more deaths at Kew Gardens on Monday as the temperature reached 34.8 degrees, breaking the record for the hottest May day ever.

Among them was 13-year-old Reco Puttock, who was pronounced dead after being found at Leadbeater Dam in Halifax, West Yorkshire.

On the same day, 16-year-old Lillianna Tomlinson was found dead at Kingsbury Water Park in Warwickshire.

Heroic grandfather Phil Crow (68) died of a heart attack while running into the sea to save his wife and grandson who were in distress at Tregirls Beach in Padstow, Cornwall.

On Sunday, an unnamed 72-year-old woman died at West Angle Beach in Pembrokeshire. Declan Sawyer, 15, of Lincoln, also died that day after getting into trouble at Swanholme Lakes.

The UK Health Safety Agency (UKHSA) this week issued heat health warnings for parts of England, warning that there was a greater risk of water-related deaths.

It was stated that the possibility of cold water shock and drowning increases as more people turn to lakes and ponds in hot weather.