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A heartbreaking inquest has revealed how nine-year-old Luiza “Bia” Paun tragically drowned after slipping into the River Thames while playing on a jetty in Gravesend.
Girl Slips Into River While Playing at Gordon Promenade
On May 30 last year, Luiza, from Wrotham Road in Gravesend, was playing near the water at the Gordon Promenade when she took off her shoes and slipped into the river. Despite heroic efforts by nearby members of the public who jumped in to save her, she was swept away by the current and disappeared beneath the water.
Massive Search Operation Fails to Save Young Girl
- Emergency services, including Kent Police marine units, the coastguard helicopter, and RNLI lifeboats, launched a massive search for Luiza and two boys who got into trouble in the water.
- The boy, believed to be seven, was rescued and taken to the hospital in stable condition.
- Tragically, Luiza’s body was not found until the next day, near Newbridge Causeway, behind the Gravesend Rowing Club house, where she is thought to have entered the river.
A nearby witness, George Karnovski, described pulling the boy out of the water while frantically searching for Luiza, but she was nowhere to be seen.
“At the same time as pulling him out, I was looking around, shouting ‘there is one more’. I couldn’t find the little girl anywhere,” said the 37-year-old rescuer.
Community Mourns, Calls for Better River Safety
Following the tragedy, floral tributes and soft toys were left at the site, with messages like “Rest in peace, little one” and “May you find eternal peace in the arms of angels.”
Her tragic story is a stark reminder of the hidden dangers that rivers pose, especially to children. Calls for tighter river safety measures are growing louder in Gravesend and beyond.
