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Monday 3rd January 2005 A post-mortem will be carried out today on a 12-year-old boy, who drowned yesterday while out rowing at Caversham on the River Thames. The child, a member of Reading Rowing Club, was taking part with others in an ordinary training outing just before 10am when his single scull capsized, and he fell into the chilly water. Despite reaching the bank, he could not pull himself out, and disappeared below the surface. Following a 999 call from a passer-by who witnessed the incident, the local rescue services sent a police helicopter, an air ambulance, two land ambulances, a thermal imaging camera and three rescue boats to mount a rescue operation. The first vehicle was on the scene within four minutes of receiving the call. They then trawled the river using ladders, but the boy's body was not discovered on the river-bed until 1pm, after police divers had arrived and taken over the search. Details of the boy's identity will be released formally today, but he is thought to be the youngest of three schoolboy brothers, all of whom learned to row at Reading RC. Club president Tony Holland said: "All we are able to say is we are very, very sorry that such a tragic incident has occurred. Obviously, our thoughts, prayers and sympathies are very much with the family." The boy's father and elder brother were at the riverside within half an hour of his disappearance, but could only watch from the bank as the search went on. It is still unclear exactly how the accident occurred. Reading RC member Barry Gardener said that the boy had surfaced after capsizing and swum to the bank, but could not get out. Two rowing friends dived in to try and save him, but were unable to help and were later treated for hypothermia. Amateur Rowing Association Chairman Di Ellis said she understood that one of the club coaches saw the youngster swim over to the far bank of the river, away from the towpath, where moored boats make it difficult to clamber out of the water. Although at first reports suggested that he had stayed with his scull, it was later discovered from eye-witnesses that he had in fact swum away from the upturned boat to reach the bank, against the advice shouted by his coach. Club officials refused to comment on whether or not the child had a life-jacket; although it is not standard procedure for rowers to wear them, some scullers carry buoyancy aids in their boats against this type of risk. Conditions yesterday were calm but chilly, and the water was cold though above freezing. Early reports also suggest that there was no accompanying launch with the fleet of rowers. Although it is not mandatory in the ARA's rules, some clubs insist that young rowers are never out of sight of a safety launch, which can go to their rescue. There has been concern about safety at Reading recently, with a plea for greater care circulated to club members in September. Vera Rutherford, a local dog walker, once spoke to a club official after seeing young children out rowing. "On that occasion, there were all these young girls and boys out and there was a worrying wind on the river", she said yesterday. "When I asked a club official about it, he said 'that's ok, we've got rescue boats'." "Our deepest sympathy goes to the family and Reading Rowing Club on this tragic accident", said Ellis yesterday. "We're totally saddened by the news and trying to support them in any way we can. But everything has to wait until the post-mortem and inquest. Then we'll have to see if there is any action we have to take." "We're looking at ways of improving risk awareness all the time", added Stuart Ward, the ARA's Honorary Safety Adviser. "We'll be looking to see exactly what did happen in depth, and if changes need to be made at a national level." The family is Muslim and the funeral will take place as soon as possible today after the post-mortem.
Rachel Quarrell
This is the full content of an article commissioned by the Daily Telegraph, combining telephone interviews with Press Association stringer reports.
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