Rescue teams searching for a missing 15-year-old boy who got into difficulty swimming in a lake have found a body.
Emergency crews were called to Beckenham Place Park in Beckenham, south east London. to search for the teenager who had got into difficulty in a swimming lake shortly after 3pm on Friday.
A search operation was launched but sadly police say the body of a boy was discovered in the water at 10.42pm later that day.
Paramedics took the youngster to hospital but he was pronounced dead.
A Met spokesperson said: ‘Met Police has suspended a search for a 15-year-old boy at Beckenham Place Park, following the discovery of a body.
‘Officers were called to the park shortly after 15:00hrs on Friday, 4 April following reports of a boy going missing after getting into difficulty in the water.
‘Specialist diving teams were in attendance alongside the London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade.
‘A boy was recovered from the lake at around 22:42hrs on Friday, 4 April. He was taken to hospital where he was sadly pronounced dead. His death is being treated as unexpected but not believed to be suspicious.
‘His family are aware and continue to receive support.’
Police officers stand in the entrance to Beckenham Place Park in South East London after a 16-year-old boy got into difficulty in water
The scene inside Beckenham Park Place on Friday after a 16-year-old boy went missing while swimming in a lake
A police tent is set near the swimming lake in Beckenham on Friday following the teenager’s disappearance
The popular south London park was closed on Friday as emergency services responded to the incident.
Lewisham Council posted on X at 5.20pm: ‘We are aware of a serious incident at Beckenham Place Park.
‘Council staff are supporting the Police on site. The park is currently closed.’
A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said on Friday: ‘We were called at 3.02pm this afternoon to reports of a person in the water.
‘We sent resources to the scene, including an ambulance crew, an incident response officer and members of our hazardous area response team.’
