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| Version 9 | Version 10 |
|---|---|
| River search locates boy's body | River search locates boy's body |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Rescue workers searching for a nine-year-old boy, who was swept away in a Snowdonia river, have found a body, police said. | |
| Sean Laxen, from Norwich, slipped and fell into the river near the Conwy Falls at Betws-y-Coed, while walking with his mother and brother on Monday. | Sean Laxen, from Norwich, slipped and fell into the river near the Conwy Falls at Betws-y-Coed, while walking with his mother and brother on Monday. |
| North Wales Police said the boy's body has not yet been formally identified but family have been informed. | North Wales Police said the boy's body has not yet been formally identified but family have been informed. |
| About 40 people have been involved in a search of the river and its banks. | |
| Supt Richard Brough said the search team at Conwy found the body of a young boy at around 1810 BST. | Supt Richard Brough said the search team at Conwy found the body of a young boy at around 1810 BST. |
| Police are trying to arrange a formal identifcation as soon as possible. | Police are trying to arrange a formal identifcation as soon as possible. |
| 'Traumatic' | 'Traumatic' |
| "Earlier this evening the police underwater search team located the body of a young male in the deep water in the river," said Supt Brough. | "Earlier this evening the police underwater search team located the body of a young male in the deep water in the river," said Supt Brough. |
| "I cannot confirm that it is Sean at this moment in time. Until we have the body formally identified I will not be able to confirm that," he added. | "I cannot confirm that it is Sean at this moment in time. Until we have the body formally identified I will not be able to confirm that," he added. |
| "The family have been informed, they are aware of the find and we are supporting them through this very traumatic time. | "The family have been informed, they are aware of the find and we are supporting them through this very traumatic time. |
| "We always hope to find a missing person safe and well and reunite them with the family - sadly that has not been the case today." | "We always hope to find a missing person safe and well and reunite them with the family - sadly that has not been the case today." |
| 'Dangerous' | 'Dangerous' |
| The search teams had been concentrating on a small number of deep water pools, on what was called a treacherous stretch of river. | The search teams had been concentrating on a small number of deep water pools, on what was called a treacherous stretch of river. |
| "This area's got very steep wooded sides, so access is difficult - it's very, very steep indeed," said Roger Jones, from Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue. | "This area's got very steep wooded sides, so access is difficult - it's very, very steep indeed," said Roger Jones, from Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue. |
| "In full spate, the water can be 15ft up these sheer walls so it's a very nasty place." | "In full spate, the water can be 15ft up these sheer walls so it's a very nasty place." |
| Repeat checks were carried out along the river | Repeat checks were carried out along the river |
| After being alerted on Monday afternoon, divers using thermal imaging cameras underwater continued looking for the boy until about 0115 BST on Tuesday morning. | After being alerted on Monday afternoon, divers using thermal imaging cameras underwater continued looking for the boy until about 0115 BST on Tuesday morning. |
| Earlier on Tuesday, North Wales Police underwater teams had been searching the river again, while mountain rescue teams and search dogs combed the river banks. | Earlier on Tuesday, North Wales Police underwater teams had been searching the river again, while mountain rescue teams and search dogs combed the river banks. |
| The underwater search team has been assisted by experts from Plas y Brenin, a mountain activity centre, as well as local people doing bank searches. | The underwater search team has been assisted by experts from Plas y Brenin, a mountain activity centre, as well as local people doing bank searches. |
| The river Conwy is believed to be swollen after recent rainfall. | The river Conwy is believed to be swollen after recent rainfall. |
| Farmer Heather Hughes joined the search on Monday after hearing a child was missing. | Farmer Heather Hughes joined the search on Monday after hearing a child was missing. |
| She said the stretch was very dangerous and also difficult to access, with "deep pools and rocks, where people can get trapped". | She said the stretch was very dangerous and also difficult to access, with "deep pools and rocks, where people can get trapped". |