Hampton Court: Body of man found in River Thames

The National Police Air Service were part of the team searching the Thames

A body has been recovered by police looking for a man spotted in the River Thames.

The man, believed to be in his early 20s, was found by police divers in Hampton Court, south-west London, at about 22:30 BST on Sunday.

Three police forces, the London Fire Brigade, London Ambulance Service and RNLI began the search after being alerted to a person in the water at about 16:10.

The victim's family has been informed.

Supt Richard Smith from the Met said: "Our thoughts go out to the young man who has lost his life.

"Our officers worked incredibly hard with partner agencies but despite a rapid response he could not be rescued."

The latest death follows that of a 14-year-old boy who entered the water at nearby Tagg's Island at the end of last month.

Urging people to stay out of the water, Supt Smith said: "I must again sadly reiterate the dangers the water poses - it may look appealing but the danger and risk of loss of life is incredibly real.

"Please do not enter the water at any point. The consequences are enormous and we do not want to see any more families having to suffer such terrible news."

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