Five die in open water during record-breaking UK heatwave
While three people, including a teenager, died after having difficulty swimming in open water, the total number of drownings in the latest record-breaking heat wave rose to five.
West Mercia Police confirmed that Brody Leach’s body was found in the River Severn in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, on Saturday morning.
The 22-year-old was last seen alive floating in the river on Friday when he ran into trouble.
Meanwhile, Hampshire Police said on Saturday that officers searching for a missing 15-year-old boy who was last seen in the water at Testwood Lakes near Southampton had found a body.
“The child’s family has been informed and official identification has been made. His family is being supported by specially trained officers,” police added.
Essex Police also confirmed the death of a 69-year-old man in Clacton.
Officers said they were called to a medical emergency in Marine Parade East just after 11am on Friday to reports of a man in distress at sea.
Police said in a statement: “Officers, paramedics, fire brigade and coastguard attended. Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of colleagues, a 69-year-old man died at the scene.”
The three deaths bring the total number of water-related fatalities during the latest heatwave to five, after the death of a 50-year-old man was announced on Wednesday afternoon at Aberavon beach on the south coast of Wales.
Earlier, police said they had found the body of a young boy who went into the water in a lake in Syston, Leicestershire, on Thursday.
At least 15 people, mostly children, drowned while swimming in open water during the May heatwave.
It has led to widespread warnings about the dangers of trying to cool down by swimming in the sea, lake or river, as water is often much colder than expected and can cause cold water shock syndrome, which can be fatal.
Wednesday was the first of three consecutive days with the hottest June day in history.
Friday was confirmed by the Met Office as the hottest June day on record in the UK; The provisional temperature of 37.3 degrees recorded at Santon Downham in Suffolk surpassed the highest temperature of 36.7 degrees recorded at Merryfield, Somerset on Thursday.
