Body found in search for boy, 11, who went missing in river
At least 17 people are reported to have died in open water over the last week after the UK sweltered in record-breaking hot weather
A body has been found in the search for an 11-year-old boy who went missing in a South Yorkshire river on Saturday.
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Police were called to Ferry Boat Lane near the River Don in Mexborough at 8pm on Saturday.
Mackenzie Swift, 11, was seen getting into the river but not getting out, South Yorkshire Police said.
Mackenzie's family have been informed and have the offer of specialist support. Formal identification will take place in due course.
It comes as the number of open-water deaths reported in recent days has risen to 17 as crowds flocked to seek respite from the record-breaking hot weather.
On Monday, a 13-year-old girl died after she went missing from the River Wharfe, near Burnsall, in the Yorkshire Dales.
Read more: Boy, 16, becomes 13th person to die in water-related incidents amid heatwave
The 48-hour search for Mackenzie Swift, which involved the Fire and Rescue Service, underwater search teams and mountain rescue, came to an end shortly before 11pm on Monday night.
Chief Superintendent Pete Thorp – the district commander for Doncaster, said: "First and foremost, on behalf of all who have been involved in the operation to find Mackenzie since Saturday, I send deepest sympathies to his family and friends.
"Losing a child is every parent's worst nightmare and I know the impact this news will have on the wider community and particularly Mackenzie's school.
"I would also like to thank the local community, who enabled us to conduct our search and recovery with very few onlookers and cameras to give Mackenzie and his family the dignity they deserve. Not only for that, but also for the offers of assistance - we knew we had many members of the public willing to do anything they could to help."
It comes as multiple people across the UK have died as the hot weather attracted many people to open-water swimming.
A 19-year-old man who was recovered from Balderton Lake in Nottinghamshire became the 14th person confirmed to have died amid the heatwave.
The death of 15-year-old Chiedza Nyanjowa was also announced on Sunday as tributes poured in for the 'kind spirited' teen.
Authorities have warned that while during periods of hot weather people want to keep cool, open waters are exceptionally dangerous as there is no way of telling what's beneath the surface.