River Thames safety taught after recent drownings

Children are being made aware of the hidden dangers of the River Thames following a spate of water-related deaths during recent heatwaves.

The Port of London Authority (PLA) said its See the River, See the Risk safety campaign comes after more than 20 drownings across the UK during the May and late-June hot weather spells.

Last week, a 13-year-old boy died after getting into difficulty in the water at Royal Victoria Dock in east London.

Robin Mortimer, chief executive of the PLA, said the campaign was "borne out of tragedy" but hoped it would help young people "recognise risk before a situation goes wrong".

The scheme is aimed at 10 to 16-year-olds across London, Kent and Essex and comes ahead of the school holidays when young people are likely to be spending more time out and about.

Mortimer added: "Based on what young people told us, many already know the Thames can be dangerous, but that risk is not always front of mind when they are with friends, under pressure, or caught up in the moment."

The PLA, which oversees 95 miles of the tidal Thames, warns that familiarity with a body of water can sometimes make the river easy to underestimate.

The Thames can flow at speeds of up to 5mph, while water levels can rise and fall by as much as seven metres due to the tide.

Figures from the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) suggest London saw an 80% increase in the child drowning rate between 2020-2022 and 2023-2025, with more than 100 accidental drownings recorded across the capital since 2020.

The PLA campaign will be supported by free interactive guidance, activity packs and educational tools, which will be distributed to schools across the capital.

As part of the drive, the PLA has produced a short film in the style of a "day in the life" social media video.

It follows a group of young people near the Thames and shows how quickly a familiar riverside setting can turn dangerous.

The PLA is also reminding young people and bystanders that they should never enter the water themselves.

Instead, they should call 999 and ask for the Coastguard, encourage the person in the water to float on their back, throw them something that floats to hold on to, and keep them in sight until the emergency services arrive.

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