Pictured: Boy, 14, who drowned attempting to save lots of his pal in River Tyne
The 14-year-old boy who drowned in a river tragedy that also left his 13-year-old friend critically ill in hospital has been pictured.
David Radut was named locally by friends who laid flowers at the scene in the Northumberland village of Ovingham.
A group of friends were believed to be messing about on a rope swing over the river when the two teenagers ended up in the water.
According to one report the older boy David attempted to rescue his younger friend who was in difficulty in the River Tyne.
The 13-year-old was rescued from the water and taken to hospital and the body of the older boy was later recovered by emergency services.
David Radut was named locally by friends who laid flowers at the scene in the Northumberland village of Ovingham
The scene on Monday where the rope swing tree has been chopped down and lowers left at the scene on the riverbank
A group of friends were believed to be messing about on a rope swing over the river when the two teenagers ended up in the water. Pictured: The rope swing over the River Tyne
Friends took to social media to pay tribute to David Radut on social media
Friends took to social media to pay tribute to David Radut.
Millie Weatherson commented on Facebook: ‘Rest easy David Radut until we meet again and when we do don’t take my shoes off me and call me little legs, haha forever a big miss.’
The friends are awaiting news of the 13-year-old who remains in hospital.
The tragedy on Saturday afternoon prompted someone to chop down the tree that the rope swing was attached to.
Northumberland County Council confirmed it was not responsible for the move.
No card was left with the red and white roses placed on a path on the north side of the river.
Firefighters cut down the swing on Sunday afternoon following the tragic incident
Emergency services including ambulance, police and fire and rescue crews were stationed at the scene on Saturday
Police forensic officers gather evidence in Ovingham, Northumberland on Sunday morning
A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: ‘Shortly after 3.30pm police received a report of concern for the welfare of two teenage boys who had come into difficulty in the water near to Ovingham bridge in Northumberland’
A massive hunt was launched near the River Tyne to find two teenage boys who vanished while swimming in Ovingham
A helicopter was seen on site, helping with the desperate search efforts
Pictured: Robert Hattersley, 13, from Crawcrook, who died following an incident in the river near Ovingham in Northumberland on July 17, 2022
It is the second tragedy on the same stretch of water.
In July 2022 Robert Hattersley, 13, lost his life in the water, described as deceptively dangerous despite its ‘calm’ appearance.
Following the latest tragedy his father Carl, 50, said: ‘I feel very upset about it. We know what they are going through. It’s upsetting that they’ve lost their little son. It’s brought back memories of what we have gone through.
‘It’s still raw to us, it hasn’t been that long. It’s coming up to two years. We give our condolences and our love and support from our family to their family. If we can help in any way we will.’
No update has been released by police on the condition of the 13-year-old boy.
