Body found in search for 11-year-old boy last seen swimming in river

Undated handout photos issued by South Yorkshire Police of Mackenzie Swift, 11, holding his dog.
Mackenzie Swift, 11, went missing on Saturday evening (Picture: South Yorkshire Police/PA Wire)
The body of an 11-year-old boy has been recovered after he went swimming in a river, bringing the number of open-water deaths during the heatwave to 17.

Mackenzie Swift was last seen entering the River Don, near Mexborough, South Yorkshire, on Saturday evening.

The alarm was raised when he did not emerge from the water. Emergency services spent 48 hours searching for him.

South Yorkshire Police confirmed today they have recovered a body.

Chief Superintendent Pete Thorp said: ‘First and foremost, on behalf of all who have been involved in the operation to find Mackenzie since Saturday, I send deepest sympathies to his family and friends.

‘Losing a child is every parent’s worst nightmare and I know the impact this news will have on the wider community and particularly Mackenzie’s school.

Undated handout photo issued by South Yorkshire Police of Mackenzie Swift, 11, who has not been seen since he entered the River Don on Saturday and the search is ongoing, South Yorkshire Police said. Issue date: Monday June 1, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: South Yorkshire Police/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
He was last seen entering the River Don (Picture: South Yorkshire Police/PA Wire)
‘I would also like to thank the local community, who enabled us to conduct our search and recovery with very few onlookers and cameras to give Mackenzie and his family the dignity they deserve.

‘Not only for that, but also for the offers of assistance – we knew we had many members of the public willing to do anything they could to help.’

The total number of deaths in open water since the start of the recent heatwave now stands at 17.

News that police had recovered Mackenzie’s body came after a 13-year-old girl was pulled from the River Wharfe in Burnsall, near Skipton, North Yorkshire, on Sunday evening.

She was airlifted to hospital where she was pronounced dead, North Yorkshire Police said.

On Monday evening, Norfolk Constabulary issued a family tribute to Greg Howes after the 44-year-old died following an incident on the River Yare at Surlingham, Norfolk, on Friday.

It read: ‘Greg was dearly loved by his family and loved spending time on the Norfolk Broads.

‘At this sad time, his family would like to urge the public to take care and consider their safety when taking part in activities on the water on the Broads.’

Record May temperatures were recorded last Tuesday in England and Wales, but it has dropped to average for the time of year, with thunderstorms and cooler temperatures expected.

Met Office meteorologist Rebecca Mitchell said the heatwave was ‘over’ with ‘big change on the way’, including cooler temperatures, rain, possible thunderstorms and strengthening winds.

SOURCE: https://metro.co.uk/2026/06/02/body-found-search-11-year-old-boy-last-seen-swimming-river-28614700/?ico=more_text_links