Beckenham Place Park: Urgent hunt for boy, 16, 'missing in water' after swimming in pond

A 16-year-old boy is missing after he “got into difficulty” in a lake in south-east London, the Metropolitan Police said.

Officers and paramedics were called to Beckenham Place Park, Lewisham, shortly after 3pm on Friday and have informed the boy’s next of kin, who are being supported by specialist officers.

London Fire Brigade has 35 firefighters at the scene, as well as five fire engines. Crews from Woodside, Lewisham, Beckenham, Croydon and Euston were sent to the park in south-east London.

The Metropolitan Police said emergency services are “co-ordinating a search” and “the park has been evacuated to facilitate the search”. A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called at 3.02pm this afternoon to reports of a person in the water.

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“We sent resources to the scene, including an ambulance crew, an incident response officer and members of our hazardous area response team. We are still at the scene working alongside our emergency services partners.” The park remains closed while the search is carried out.

In a statement on X at 5.23pm, Lewisham Council said it is "aware of a serious incident at Beckenham Place Park". It continued: "Council staff are supporting the police on site. The park is currently closed."

Many worried bystanders have been seen looking on outside the gates with police guarding the entrance while the search continues. A visitor said he was told to leave Beckenham Park Place after a large number of emergency vehicles suddenly arrived.

He shared online: "Something very serious is taking place, with much of the park being evacuated. Scores of police, vans, grey vans, unmarked cars, fire engines, helicopters buzzing for about an hour. I've just left after being ushered out." Beckenham Place Park's website states it has a lake which is 285 metres long, reaching depths of up to 3.5 metres.

The teenager in Beckenham is the second child to have gone missing after entering water this week, after Kaliyah Coa, 11, vanished in Woolwich on Monday, March 31.

Kaliyah, who had been playing during a school inset day, entered the water near Barge House Causeway, close to London City Airport, in east London. Teams from the London Ambulance Service, London Fire Brigade, the RNLI and the Coastguard all joined the search.

The Metropolitan Police said officers are now leading a recovery mission along the Thames to find Kaliyah, who was named by the force on Tuesday.

Chief Superintendent Dan Card, local policing commander for north-east London, said: “Our specialist officers are supporting Kaliyah’s family through this deeply upsetting time and our thoughts go out to all those impacted by what has happened.

“We are committed to finding Kaliyah and are working with partners to conduct a thorough search over a wide area – utilising drone and boats. I’d like to thank the members of public, our first responding officers, and colleagues from other emergency services, as they responded rapidly to carry out a large-scale search during a highly pressurised and distressing time.”

Barge House Causeway is a concrete slope that goes directly into the River Thames and is used to transport boats. Residents pointed out that it appeared to be covered in moss and is slippery. Kerry Benadjaoud, 62, said that Kaliyah was “paddling” in the water and “must have slipped”.

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