Police warn over swimming dangers as temperatures expected to hit 22C

A warning has been issued by police regarding the dangers of open water swimming as temperatures are expected to hit 22C this week.

Transcript

00:00So this latest warning from the Metropolitan Police is perhaps an unsurprising development.

00:07Since last Monday, there have been two very high-profile incidents involving our waterways in London,

00:16with both of these incidents involving children.

00:1911-year-old Kalea Koha is still missing after she entered the River Thames,

00:25close to London City Airport, in East London, last Monday,

00:31while 15-year-old Isaiah Smith died after getting into difficulty in a park lake in Beckingham Place Park in Lewisham on Friday.

00:42The Metropolitan Police has now advised people not to swim in open water,

00:47unless it's part of a supervised and safe environment,

00:51never to enter the water under the influence of alcohol or drugs,

00:56and for parents to talk to their children and young people about the risks.

01:02Met Office meteorologist Catherine Chalk said the UK will continue to see a week of lengthy sunshine,

01:10with temperatures well above the average for April.

01:14Chief Inspector Rob Ranstead, who leads the Met's Marine Policing Unit, said in a statement,

01:22open water may appear calm and inviting, but it can be dangerously deceptive.

01:30Strong currents, sudden drops, hidden hazards can affect even the strongest swimmers.

01:36He added, once a person is in the Thames, for example,

01:41they will almost definitely struggle to keep afloat.