Latest news with #IzaiahSmith
The Independent
09-04-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
Urgent warning issued amid sunny weather after rise in shock deaths
Police have issued a warning about the dangers of open water swimming as temperatures are expected to reach 22C this week. The warning follows the death of 15-year-old Izaiah Smith, who died after getting into difficulty in a south-east London park lake last week. Eleven-year-old Kaliyah Coa is still missing after entering the River Thames near London City Airport in east London last Monday. In a statement, the Metropolitan Police urged Londoners to "never underestimate the risks" of swimming in the city's waterways. The UK will see a week of 'lengthy sunshine', Met Office meteorologist Kathryn Chalk said, with temperatures 'well above average' for April. Chief Inspector Rob Ranstead, who leads the Met's Marine Policing Unit, said that despite understanding the appeal of the city's open water spots for bathers, police have recently seen a rise in incidents where people have 'got into difficulty' in the water, with some having lost their lives. He continued: 'So I want to make a direct appeal to the public: please enjoy London's waterways safely, but never underestimate the risks. 'Open water may appear calm and inviting, but it can be dangerously deceptive. 'Strong currents, sudden drops, hidden hazards and cold water shock can affect even the strongest swimmers. 'Once a person is in the Thames, for example, they will almost definitely struggle to keep afloat or in control. 'The river holds currents stronger than any person and moves at extreme speeds.' Although the water may look calm, strong and fast tides can 'easily' drag someone a mile in ten minutes, he added. Police advised people not to swim in open water unless part of a supervised and safe environment, never to enter the water under the influence of alcohol or drugs and for parents to talk to their children and young people about the risks. Elsewhere, visitors to the East Sussex coastline have been urged to enjoy the scenery safely and reminded not to stand too close to the edge of cliffs or walk or sit at the cliff base when on the beach. Councillor Claire Dowling, cabinet member at East Sussex County Council, said: 'The cliffs, while beautiful, are extremely unstable and huge quantities of chalk can fall at any time with absolutely no warning.' Of the forecast this week, Ms Chalk said the highest temperatures would be focused around south and south-west England over the next two days, followed by highs of around 21 to 22C in eastern England and Scotland on Thursday. On Friday, southern England, including London, are expected to see highs of 22C. Of the sunny, dry weather, she said: 'The exception is on Wednesday and Thursday – we will just see a bit more cloud filtering in from the North Sea, so we will see some cloudier starts on Wednesday and Thursday, but otherwise that will lift and clear, and then plenty of fine weather still continuing. 'There's a potential for a bit of a breakdown as we end the weekend, Sunday and Monday, on Wednesday, there's quite a lot of uncertainty on that transition so best to just enjoy this week of lengthy sunshine. 'We will still see some chilly nights though – waking up this morning it's still a little bit chilly, but by day it is generally pretty warm for the time of year.' Ms Chalk added: 'Generally for the UK, the maximum temperature of April is 12C, covering all of April, so we could reach up to 21 to 22C – so, well above average.'
The Independent
08-04-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
Police warn of ‘deceptive' dangers as temperatures expected to hit 22C this week
Police have issued a warning about the dangers of open water swimming as temperatures are expected to reach 22C this week. The warning follows the death of 15-year-old Izaiah Smith, who died after getting into difficulty in a south-east London park lake last week. Eleven-year-old Kaliyah Coa is still missing after entering the River Thames near London City Airport in east London last Monday. In a statement, the Metropolitan Police urged Londoners to "never underestimate the risks" of swimming in the city's waterways. The UK will see a week of 'lengthy sunshine', Met Office meteorologist Kathryn Chalk said, with temperatures 'well above average' for April. Chief Inspector Rob Ranstead, who leads the Met's Marine Policing Unit, said that despite understanding the appeal of the city's open water spots for bathers, police have recently seen a rise in incidents where people have 'got into difficulty' in the water, with some having lost their lives. He continued: 'So I want to make a direct appeal to the public: please enjoy London's waterways safely, but never underestimate the risks. 'Open water may appear calm and inviting, but it can be dangerously deceptive. 'Strong currents, sudden drops, hidden hazards and cold water shock can affect even the strongest swimmers. 'Once a person is in the Thames, for example, they will almost definitely struggle to keep afloat or in control. 'The river holds currents stronger than any person and moves at extreme speeds.' Although the water may look calm, strong and fast tides can 'easily' drag someone a mile in ten minutes, he added. Police advised people not to swim in open water unless part of a supervised and safe environment, never to enter the water under the influence of alcohol or drugs and for parents to talk to their children and young people about the risks. Elsewhere, visitors to the East Sussex coastline have been urged to enjoy the scenery safely and reminded not to stand too close to the edge of cliffs or walk or sit at the cliff base when on the beach. Councillor Claire Dowling, cabinet member at East Sussex County Council, said: 'The cliffs, while beautiful, are extremely unstable and huge quantities of chalk can fall at any time with absolutely no warning.' Of the forecast this week, Ms Chalk said the highest temperatures would be focused around south and south-west England over the next two days, followed by highs of around 21 to 22C in eastern England and Scotland on Thursday. On Friday, southern England, including London, are expected to see highs of 22C. Of the sunny, dry weather, she said: 'The exception is on Wednesday and Thursday – we will just see a bit more cloud filtering in from the North Sea, so we will see some cloudier starts on Wednesday and Thursday, but otherwise that will lift and clear, and then plenty of fine weather still continuing. 'There's a potential for a bit of a breakdown as we end the weekend, Sunday and Monday, on Wednesday, there's quite a lot of uncertainty on that transition so best to just enjoy this week of lengthy sunshine. 'We will still see some chilly nights though – waking up this morning it's still a little bit chilly, but by day it is generally pretty warm for the time of year.' Ms Chalk added: 'Generally for the UK, the maximum temperature of April is 12C, covering all of April, so we could reach up to 21 to 22C – so, well above average.'
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Police warn of ‘deceptive' dangers as temperatures expected to hit 22C this week
Police have issued a warning about the dangers of open water swimming as temperatures are expected to reach 22C this week. The warning follows the death of 15-year-old Izaiah Smith, who died after getting into difficulty in a south-east London park lake last week. Eleven-year-old Kaliyah Coa is still missing after entering the River Thames near London City Airport in east London last Monday. In a statement, the Metropolitan Police urged Londoners to "never underestimate the risks" of swimming in the city's waterways. The UK will see a week of 'lengthy sunshine', Met Office meteorologist Kathryn Chalk said, with temperatures 'well above average' for April. Chief Inspector Rob Ranstead, who leads the Met's Marine Policing Unit, said that despite understanding the appeal of the city's open water spots for bathers, police have recently seen a rise in incidents where people have 'got into difficulty' in the water, with some having lost their lives. He continued: 'So I want to make a direct appeal to the public: please enjoy London's waterways safely, but never underestimate the risks. 'Open water may appear calm and inviting, but it can be dangerously deceptive. 'Strong currents, sudden drops, hidden hazards and cold water shock can affect even the strongest swimmers. Planning for the Easter holidays? We've got you covered! 👇Spoiler alert: It contains a lot of this… ☀️ — Met Office (@metoffice) April 6, 2025 'Once a person is in the Thames, for example, they will almost definitely struggle to keep afloat or in control. 'The river holds currents stronger than any person and moves at extreme speeds.' Although the water may look calm, strong and fast tides can 'easily' drag someone a mile in ten minutes, he added. Police advised people not to swim in open water unless part of a supervised and safe environment, never to enter the water under the influence of alcohol or drugs and for parents to talk to their children and young people about the risks. Elsewhere, visitors to the East Sussex coastline have been urged to enjoy the scenery safely and reminded not to stand too close to the edge of cliffs or walk or sit at the cliff base when on the beach. Councillor Claire Dowling, cabinet member at East Sussex County Council, said: 'The cliffs, while beautiful, are extremely unstable and huge quantities of chalk can fall at any time with absolutely no warning.' Of the forecast this week, Ms Chalk said the highest temperatures would be focused around south and south-west England over the next two days, followed by highs of around 21 to 22C in eastern England and Scotland on Thursday. On Friday, southern England, including London, are expected to see highs of 22C. Of the sunny, dry weather, she said: 'The exception is on Wednesday and Thursday – we will just see a bit more cloud filtering in from the North Sea, so we will see some cloudier starts on Wednesday and Thursday, but otherwise that will lift and clear, and then plenty of fine weather still continuing. 'There's a potential for a bit of a breakdown as we end the weekend, Sunday and Monday, on Wednesday, there's quite a lot of uncertainty on that transition so best to just enjoy this week of lengthy sunshine. 'We will still see some chilly nights though – waking up this morning it's still a little bit chilly, but by day it is generally pretty warm for the time of year.' Ms Chalk added: 'Generally for the UK, the maximum temperature of April is 12C, covering all of April, so we could reach up to 21 to 22C – so, well above average.'
BBC News
08-04-2025
- BBC News
Swim warning after rise in waterway deaths in London
The Metropolitan Police has warned Londoners of the dangers of going into rivers and lakes after a recent rise in fatal Met's Marine Policing Unit (MPU) says the River Thames moves at extreme speeds and while the water may look calm, the tides could easily drag someone a mile (1.5km) in just 10 minutes. Ch Insp Rob Ranstead, who leads the MPU, said: "We absolutely understand the natural draw of rivers, lakes and open water across the city. "However, we have sadly seen a recent rise in incidents where people have got into difficulty - and very tragically, some have lost their lives." He has appealed to the public to "please enjoy London's waterways safely, but never underestimate the risks".While many people may be aware of the dangers of entering the Thames, other waterways can also be dangerous: strong currents, sudden drops, hidden hazards and cold-water shock can affect even the strongest Met is asking parents to talk to children and young people about the risks as many incidents involve teenagers during school breaks or warning comes after 15-year-old Izaiah Smith died after going swimming in a lake in south-east London.A few days earlier, 11-year-old Kaliyah Coa went missing after she went paddling in the River Thames near Bargehouse Causeway, in east London during a day off from school. A recovery mission is under way, the Met said. 'Respect the water' People who do want to swim in the city's waterways are advised not to do so in open water unless it is part of a supervised and safe environment and not to enter the water if they have taken drugs or Insp Ranstead added: "Our officers patrol the River Thames and many of London's waterways on a daily basis. "We see the heartbreak and devastation these preventable tragedies cause – with families changed forever in a matter of seconds. "Working with partners we are increasing our visibility and delivering water safety education, but we need the help of the public."Please respect the water, look after one another, and think twice before taking unnecessary risks." The Met also said if people did find themselves in difficulty, they should follow the RNLI's Float to Live steps:If you fall into water, fight your instinct to thrash aroundLean back, extend your arms and legsIf you need to, gently move them around to help you floatFloat until you can control your breathingOnly then, call for help or swim to safety.
The Independent
07-04-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
Police warn over swimming dangers as temperatures expected to hit 22C
A warning has been issued by police regarding the dangers of open water swimming as temperatures are expected to hit 22C this week. It comes after Izaiah Smith, 15, died after getting 'into difficulty' in a park lake in south-east London last week while 11-year-old Kaliyah Coa is still missing after she entered the River Thames close to London City Airport in east London last Monday. In a statement issued on Monday, the Met Police warned people of the dangers of swimming in the city's waterways, urging Londoners to 'never underestimate the risks'. The UK will see a week of 'lengthy sunshine', Met Office meteorologist Kathryn Chalk said, with temperatures 'well above average' for April. Chief Inspector Rob Ranstead, who leads the Met's Marine Policing Unit, said that despite understanding the appeal of the city's open water spots for bathers, police have recently seen a rise in incidents where people have 'got into difficulty' in the water, with some having lost their lives. He continued: 'So I want to make a direct appeal to the public: please enjoy London's waterways safely, but never underestimate the risks. 'Open water may appear calm and inviting, but it can be dangerously deceptive. 'Strong currents, sudden drops, hidden hazards and cold water shock can affect even the strongest swimmers. 'Once a person is in the Thames, for example, they will almost definitely struggle to keep afloat or in control. 'The river holds currents stronger than any person and moves at extreme speeds.' Although the water may look calm, strong and fast tides can 'easily' drag someone a mile in ten minutes, he added. Police advised people not to swim in open water unless part of a supervised and safe environment, never to enter the water under the influence of alcohol or drugs and for parents to talk to their children and young people about the risks. Elsewhere, visitors to the East Sussex coastline have been urged to enjoy the scenery safely and reminded not to stand too close to the edge of cliffs or walk or sit at the cliff base when on the beach. Councillor Claire Dowling, cabinet member at East Sussex County Council, said: 'The cliffs, while beautiful, are extremely unstable and huge quantities of chalk can fall at any time with absolutely no warning.' Of the forecast this week, Ms Chalk said the highest temperatures would be focused around south and south-west England over the next two days, followed by highs of around 21 to 22C in eastern England and Scotland on Thursday. On Friday, southern England, including London, are expected to see highs of 22C. Of the sunny, dry weather, she said: 'The exception is on Wednesday and Thursday – we will just see a bit more cloud filtering in from the North Sea, so we will see some cloudier starts on Wednesday and Thursday, but otherwise that will lift and clear, and then plenty of fine weather still continuing. 'There's a potential for a bit of a breakdown as we end the weekend, Sunday and Monday, on Wednesday, there's quite a lot of uncertainty on that transition so best to just enjoy this week of lengthy sunshine. 'We will still see some chilly nights though – waking up this morning it's still a little bit chilly, but by day it is generally pretty warm for the time of year.' Ms Chalk added: 'Generally for the UK, the maximum temperature of April is 12C, covering all of April, so we could reach up to 21 to 22C – so, well above average.'
