Oxford boy 11th person to die in water during heatwave

The 14-year-old has been confirmed dead after the incident at Donnington Bridge at around 5.45pm, becoming the 11th person to die in water during this month’s heatwave.

READ MORE: Oxford teenage boy dies after River Thames incident

This follows those of at least 10 other people in incidents in the sea, lakes, rivers, and reservoirs, around the country during the heatwave.

READ MORE: Oxfordshire breaks temperature records after 82 years

Thames Valley Police said the Oxford death is being treated as unexplained but not suspicious and its investigation is ongoing.

A statement issued on Thursday said: “His family have been informed and offered support. Our thoughts are with them at this extremely difficult time.”

READ MORE: Major emergency response on Oxford Donnington Bridge

Around 20 land, water and air emergency vehicles responded to the 5.45pm report in total, including police, ambulance and fire.

Mass emergency police presence on Donnington Bridge (Image: Zoe Broughton)

Police helicopter seen circling over the River Thames near Donnington Bridge (Image: Zoe Broughton)

Seven police cars and a helicopter were first seen in the area shortly after 6pm.

The first day of Oxford University Boat Club’s Summer Eights ‘bumps’ races then concluded earlier than expected at around 6.42pm, according to online commentary, before the bridge was closed.

Shortly afterwards, rowers and spectators were asked to move away from the span, riverbanks and the Longbridge’s boathouse area as the emergency response intensified.

Summer Eights 2026 was cancelled on Wednesday, May 27 after an alleged emergency incident (Image: Zoe Broughton)

By this point, there were said to be at least 20 emergency vehicles, with one eyewitness saying they counted 11 police cars, four fire engines, two ambulance trucks, two ambulance cars and a helicopter.

An eye witness said college crews that had already passed Donnington Bridge towards the start by Iffley Lock were not allowed to row home.

By about 8.30pm, one crew was still stranded in its boat near Iffley Lock while others had left their boats and were waiting to be picked up near Donnington Bridge.

The bridge was reopened with one eyewitness, who was on their way home from work across the bridge, saying a fire engine and four police cars remained on the bridge as officers spoke to people and asked cyclists to dismount and walk.

Fire crew near Iffley Lock (Image: Kevin Brackett)

At least eight children have died across the country, with the youngest being 12-year-old Junior Slater in Kent, and the oldest being a 72-year-old grandfather from Cornwall.

Some of the hottest meteorological spring temperatures were recorded in the UK, including in Oxfordshire, which saw record-breaking highs of 33.6C in Benson, near Wallingford.

This newspaper has launched a Book of Condolence online for people to leave their tributes to the boy who died on Wednesday in Oxford.