Major water search underway for missing schoolboy, 14, who became separated from pals while swimming in river
A 14-YEAR-OLD boy has gone missing while swimming in the River Mersey tonight – with a huge police search launched.
The teenager became separated from pals before vanishing around 7pm on Sunday – with cops having cordoned off part of Crosby Beach.
A reporter on the scene for the Liverpool Echo said: “By my count, there are five ambulance vehicles, six fire engines and at least three police vehicles in the vicinity.
“More are stationed further along the beach and a coastguard helicopter has been circling.”
The boy is understood to have been swimming with friends near the radar tower before getting separated from the group.
The search is centred around an area between the beach and marine lake.
Merseyside Police said in a statement: “We can confirm that emergency services are responding to an incident in Waterloo this evening, Sunday, 30 June.
“We can confirm that emergency services are responding to an incident in Waterloo this evening, Sunday, 30 June.
“Just after 7pm emergency services received a report of a concern for safety of a 14-year-old boy who had gone swimming in the River Mersey, near to the radar tower with a group of friends.
“His friends had come out of the river but had become separated from him and he has not been seen since.
“The incident is ongoing and Crosby beach near to the radar tower has been cordoned off.
“We are asking people to avoid the area at this time, whilst the emergency services, including the coastguard and North West Ambulance Service, continue searching for the missing boy.”