BRAVE BIG BROTHER DESPERATELY TRIED TO SAVE MISSING TEEN BEFORE RIVER TRAGEDY

A brave big brother tried to save a missing teenager from a river before the search ended in tragedy.

Daniel Halliday, 14, was swept away by a strong current in the River Mersey despite his older sibling desperately trying to save him. His family say before he disappeared he had been jumping waves on a beach with his brother.

They revealed their devastation in a statement released through Merseyside Police. They said: “Our worst fear is that this tragic accident has taken our lovely boy from us. Daniel was jumping waves with his big brother, who tried to save him, but the current was too strong.

“Daniel is a loving son, brother, cousin, nephew and grandson. The family are all devastated, and we hope that we will be allowed our privacy at this time. Thank you.”

The teenager’s family are being supported by specially trained officers from Merseyside Police. Emergency services were first called to the waterside at Waterloo, Merseyside, at around 7pm on Sunday night after reports of the youngster going missing while swimming in the river near a radar tower on Crosby Beach, with a group of friends.

Daniel’s brother and pals had come out of the river but became separated from him and he has not been seen since. A search was carried out by HM Coastguard but failed to locate him. Emergency services, including police, coastguard and North West Ambulance Service, were called at 7pm to help locate the 14-year-old.

A search was carried out but he is still yet to be located. His family are being supported by specially trained Merseyside Police officers and have asked for privacy. Police confirmed the search for the youngster is 'ongoing' and the coastguard and emergency services are still searching for Daniel.

A spokesman for Merseyside Police said Sunday: “We can confirm emergency services are responding to an incident in Waterloo this evening, Sunday, 30 June. Just after 7pm emergency services received a report of a concern for the safety of a 14-year-old boy who had gone swimming in the River Mersey, near to the radar tower with a group of friends.

"His friends had come out of the river but had become separated from him and he has not been seen since. The incident is ongoing and Crosby Beach near to the radar tower has been cordoned off. We are asking people to avoid the area at this time, whilst the emergency services, including the coastguard and North West Ambulance Service, continue searching for the missing boy.”

2024-07-02T18:12:29Z dg43tfdfdgfd