Tragedy on the River Tees
A 20-year-old woman has died following a kayaking incident on the River Tees near the historic Barnard Castle this weekend.
Durham Police confirmed they recovered a body from the river on Saturday afternoon after receiving reports that a kayaker was in difficulty at around 2pm.
Major Multi-Agency Search Operation
A significant search operation was immediately launched in the Lartington area of Barnard Castle. The effort involved multiple emergency services, showcasing a coordinated response to the incident.
The agencies involved included the County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, North East Ambulance Service, Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS), The Coastguard, and the Teesdale and Weardale Search and Mountain Rescue Team.
Images from the scene depicted a line of emergency vehicles along the road as the search intensified. Later, investigators in high-visibility jackets were seen scouring the riverbank after nightfall.
Emergency Response Details
The North East Ambulance Service provided a detailed account of their response, stating: 'We received a call at 1.50pm on Saturday, November 15 to reports of a person in water in the Lartington area of Barnard Castle.'
They dispatched a substantial number of resources to the scene, including:
- Two ambulance crews
- A clinical team leader and a duty officer
- Three crews from their Hazardous Area Response Team (HART)
Support was also requested from the mountain rescue team and the Great North Air Ambulance Service, which attended both by road and by air.
Tragically, the search concluded when the body of the woman was recovered from the River Tees just before 4pm.
In a statement, Durham Police said: 'Her family have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.' Our thoughts are with them during this profoundly difficult time.
