Boy, 12, dies in swollen river

A 12-year-old boy died in Wales today after being swept away by a swollen river while he was playing.

A Gwent Police spokesman said that four boys entered the fast running River Ebbw at Rhiwderin in Newport, south Wales.

One boy left the river and raised the alarm at a local farm at around 1.35pm and reported that his friends had fallen into the river while they were playing.

Two other boys also managed to get out of the river further downstream.

But the fourth boy, aged 12, was unaccounted for. He was later found, still in the river, by police officers while they were searching the riverbank.

Police entered the river and the boy was taken to the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport by ambulance. It was later confirmed that he had died.

The boy’s name is not being released by police, but he is from the local area.

A family liaison officer has been appointed and police are appealing for information to find out how the boys, who were all aged around 12 years old, left the riverbank and entered the water.

The spokesman said: “An inquiry has commenced into the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident and the circumstances of the boys entering the water.”

The hunt for the boy involved the police, South Wales Fire Brigade, the coastguard and the Central Beacons Mountain Rescue team.

A rescue helicopter from RAF Chivenor was also scrambled.

Although there had not been a flood warning for that area, police said, there had been high winds and the weather conditions would not have helped the situation.

The police spokesman said: “The river was swollen and it is a fast running river. The additional rain and wind would not have helped conditions.”