A search is under way to find an 11-year-old girl after she fell into the River Thames in east London, police have said.
Metropolitan police officers were called to reports that the child had entered the river close to Bargehouse Causeway, near London City airport, at about 1.15pm on Monday. Emergency services launched a “large-scale response” to the incident, the force said, but the search was later scaled down.
London ambulance service (LAS), the London fire brigade (LFB) and the RNLI said its crews had been stood down. The girl’s next of kin have been made aware and are being supported by officers.
LAS was called at a similar time to police after receiving a report of a person in the water at Lowestoft Mews.
An LAS spokesperson said: “We sent resources to the scene, including an ambulance crew, an advanced paramedic, an incident response officer and members of our hazardous area response team.
“Our crews assisted our emergency services partners at the scene but were later stood down.”
The LFB deputy assistant commissioner, Joseph Kenny, said: “Firefighters responded to reports of a person in the River Thames near Lowestoft Mews, Newham. Crews from East Ham, Barking, Ilford and Bexley fire stations were sent to the scene alongside crews from the HM Coastguard, RNLI, London ambulance service and the Metropolitan police service.
“The brigade also deployed its drone team and fire boat as part of its response, with crews carrying out a systematic search of the area. The brigade was first called about the incident at 1.23pm. Search operations for firefighters were concluded at 3.49pm when responsibility for the incident was left with the police.”
A woman said she carried a life ring to the Thames shoreline to try to save the girl but was unable to find her.
Kerry Benadjaoud, 62, told the PA news agency: “My neighbour next door, she was outside doing her garden and there was two little kids running, and they said ‘my friend’s in the water.’”
A man told Benadjaoud that he had called the police, she said, adding: “But he said at the time he could see [the girl’s] hands going down. So, by the time I got down there with the ring I couldn’t find her.”
