Boy, 15, found dead in canal in West Yorkshire on hottest day of year
21 July 2021, 11:00
A 15-year-old boy was found dead in a canal in West Yorkshire on the hottest day of the year so far.
Police were called to a report of a concern for safety at 5:28pm on Tuesday, attending the scene in Stocking Lane, Knottingley.
Emergency services attended but the boy was pronounced dead at the scene.
The boy's family are being supported by specialist officers, police said.
Temperatures reached 32.2C on Tuesday afternoon - when the incident happened - peaking at Heathrow Airport in west London.
In the Knottingley area, there were highs of around 28C.
Read more: Three die as England records hottest day of the year with temperatures above 30C
It comes as police warned people of the dangers of swimming in open water during the hot weather.
Multiple fatalities were reported over the scorching weekend, including two teenagers who died in water in Greater Manchester and Oxfordshire on Sunday, along with a man in his 50s in North Yorkshire and a man in his 20s in Sheffield.
Another man's body was discovered in a lake at Pugneys Country Park in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, on Monday.
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Detective Chief Inspector Tony Nicholson, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "This has been a tragic incident in which a boy has sadly lost his life and I would like to advise people of the dangers posed by open water.
"Even on days as hot as we have had recently, canals can still be very cold and cold water can cause cramps in even the strongest swimmers.
"Currents created by boats and water movements around locks and weirs can also be dangerous.
"There may also be items lurking beneath the surface that could cause injury."
West Yorkshire Police’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team have launched an investigation into the circumstances of the canal death.
The force is appealing for help from people in the area at the time, who may have witnessed the incident.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, quoting log reference 1462 of July 20.
