An “extensive search” is under way to find an 11-year-old girl after she fell into the River Thames in east London.
The Metropolitan Police said it was called at around 1.15pm on Monday to reports the girl had entered the river near Barge House Causeway, close to London City Airport.
All emergency services are forming a “large-scale response” to the incident.
The girl’s next of kin have been made aware and are being supported by officers.
The London Ambulance Service was also called at a similar time, after receiving a report of a person in the water at Lowestoft Mews, which is close to the airport.
“We sent resources to the scene, including an ambulance crew, an advanced paramedic, an incident response officer and members of our hazardous area response team,” a spokesperson said.
“Our crews assisted our emergency services partners at the scene but were later stood down.”
London Fire Brigade Deputy Assistant Commissioner Joseph Kenny added that “firefighters responded to reports of a person in the River Thames near Lowestoft Mews, Newham”.
He said crews from East Ham, Barking, Ilford and Bexley fire stations were sent to the scene alongside other emergency services.
“The brigade also deployed its drone team and fire boat as part of its response, with crews carrying out a systematic search of the area,” he added.
“The brigade was first called about the incident at 1.23pm. Search operations for firefighters were concluded at 3.49pm when responsibility for the incident was left with the police.”
Kerry Benadjaoud, a 62-year-old lifelong resident of the area, said she heard of the incident from her next-door neighbour, who “was outside doing her garden and there was two little kids running, and they said ‘my friend’s in the water'”.
When she arrived at the scene with a life ring, a man told her he had called the police, “but he said at the time he could see her hands going down”.
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Ms Benadjaoud then said a boy who was playing with the 11-year-old girl near the Thames “said ‘I tried to hold her hand but it slipped'”.
She then added: “Apparently, she was paddling, so her socks and shoes were off, her coat, then she must have slipped and gone down.”
