The family of a 44-year-old man who died after getting into difficulty in the River Yare has urged the public to take care around water. Greg Howes was found dead by dive teams on Saturday afternoon, following an incident on Friday.
Emergency services were called to the Norfolk Broads at 2:33pm on Friday, with searches continuing through the night. His body was recovered from the river in Surlingham. In a tribute, his family said he was 'dearly loved' and enjoyed spending time on the Broads.
The family's statement added: '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.'
Friends also paid tribute on social media. Neil Mason wrote: 'Absolutely gutted we won't see you again Greg Howes you are a total legend! It's been a pleasure knowing you for best part of 30 years... RIP mate.'
The incident is one of several recent water-related deaths in the UK. A 16-year-old boy, Charlie Noble, died at Bracklinn Falls in Perthshire, and a 13-year-old girl became the 17th person to die in water incidents since the start of a recent heatwave, after she disappeared in the River Wharfe near Skipton.
A woman in her 60s also died while trying to rescue her pet dog from the sea in Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire. Authorities continue to warn of the dangers of open water swimming.
