An inquest has heard that rescuers made desperate attempts to save the life of a 15-year-old who went into the River Trent. Thando Ndlovu suddenly went under the water after going there with five friends last year.
He was described as not being in any distress, but his family have now warned of the dangers of open water swimming. The incident took place on July 20, 2021, Derbyshire Live reports.
It happened near the Swarkestone Bridge in Derbyshire and an inquest has now heard how a number of people jumped into the water to try and locate the teenager. Detective Constable Graham Barrett, the main officer in the enquiry into Thando's passing, further noted in his witness statement that in the area where the incident occurred, the river narrows, which can cause a strong current.
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He said police were called at 5.23pm and were informed that Thando had gone into the water, but his friends had lost sight of him after he suddenly disappeared. Ambulance, police and fire all attended the scene that evening, and a search was carried out of the river bank.
The search was called off overnight, and it wasn't until the following morning at approximately 11.15am that Thando's body was found by the Nottinghamshire Police diving team, at the bottom of the river around 30 metres downstream on the south bank.
Thando was the second of three children, described by his family as someone who always did well at school and was open to learning. He was also obsessed with football and a big Chelsea fan.
Now Mrs Ndlovu, and Thando's father, Jambulani want to raise awareness around the dangers of open water swimming. The inquest heard that the medical cause of death was drowning, with the toxicology report confirming that there were no substances of any relevance in Thando's system.
There was also no evidence that Thando was forced into the water. The inquest recorded a conclusion that his death was an accident.
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