Missing girl’s body found in Thames near HMS Belfast

At 3.15am on Sunday police were called to reports of a person in the Thames, seen to have fallen in off the Albert Embankment halfway between Lambeth Bridge and Vauxhall Bridge.

It appears that Sirena Grant, 14, from Bromley, who was with her sister and about seven friends, went into the Thames. She was having difficulties and her friends threw buoyancy aids into the water but they did not reach her.

Her 15-year-old sister then went into the river after her in an unsuccessful attempt to rescue her. The Marine Support Unit, RNLI and the fire brigade attended. Within a few minutes the RNLI found the 15-year-old girl and rescued her.

The coastguard and police subsequently conducted extensive searches of the river.

At 5.50pm on Tueday police were alerted a by a member of the public to a body in the Thames near HMS Belfast.

A coastguard vessel recovered the body of a girl, later identified as that of Sirena Grant.

Her family has been informed. A post mortem will be scheduled in due course.