Yahoo News Boy got off school bus early before jumping into Thames at Tower Bridge, inquest hears
A 13-year-old boy who was found dead in the River Thames climbed over the railings of Tower bridge and jumped in after getting off the bus on his way to school, an inquest heard.
Zaheid Ali’s body was recovered from the river near the Rotherhithe Tunnel on 28 April, eight days after he fell from London’s Tower Bridge. The Year 8 pupil from Ark Globe Academy was said to have been travelling with a friend on a bus but did not arrive at the south London school.
Opening an inquest into the death at Inner London Coroner’s Court Assistant Coroner on Tuesday Julian Morris said: “He got off the bus one stop early and made his way to Tower Bridge, he entered the bridge climbed over the barrier before jumping into the river.”
He said police recovered the schoolboy’s Oyster card and other possessions including a backpack while the incident had been captured on CCTV.
Dr Morris said: “Witnesses threw life buoys into the river and entered the river but were unable to save him.”
The coroner said a post mortem had found the schoolboy had died from “immersion”.
Following the recovery of the boy’s body, Ark Globe Academy’s executive principal Matt Jones said: "We are very saddened to hear that a body has been found and that the police believe it is the missing student of ours. Our hearts go out to his family and friends.”
The inquest was adjourned to a date yet to be fixed.
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