Boy, 14, dies after entering water at Millwall Outer Dock in east London

A 14-year-old boy has died after entering the water at Millwall Outer Dock in east London, prompting police to warn the public about the dangers of swimming in open water during warm weather. The teenager was pronounced dead at the scene after a search lasting around three hours.

Emergency services were called at about 6.48pm on Monday after reports that a teenager had gone into the dock. Officers from the Metropolitan Police, crews from the London Fire Brigade and paramedics from the London Ambulance Service launched a frantic search of the water, which continued for hours before the boy was found.

The boy, who was 14, is understood to have entered the water in an attempt to cool off during the heatwave. The area where he went in has been described as a «no swimming area», and the dock is not designated for swimming at any time.

Despite the best efforts of emergency teams, the teenager could not be saved. He was pronounced dead at the scene on the Isle of Dogs, the east London district where the dock is located. The emergency operation lasted for hours, with police, fire and ambulance crews working together to search the water.

Police have said officers were called at about 6.48pm to reports that a boy had entered the Millwall Outer Dock. Despite a lengthy response, the boy was pronounced dead at the scene after a three-hour search.

In the wake of the tragedy, police issued a warm-weather safety warning. People in the capital were reminded that docks, rivers and other stretches of open water can be extremely dangerous, even on hot days, and that no-swimming zones should be respected.

The incident has renewed attention on the risks of cooling off in unsupervised water. It also serves as a reminder that places such as Millwall Outer Dock, which lies in the Docklands area close to the River Thames, are not intended for recreational swimming.

The search involved a coordinated effort by police, fire and ambulance services, reflecting the seriousness of the incident. The boy's death has again highlighted the dangers faced by people who enter open water in urban areas, where conditions can change quickly.

With the warm spell continuing, the authorities have made clear that entering the water in prohibited areas is not worth the risk. The message from this tragedy is that even on the hottest days, a swim in an unauthorised spot can have fatal consequences.