A 14-year-old boy who tragically drowned while trying to save his 13-year-old friend has been named as David Radut. The incident occurred in the Northumberland village of Ovingham, where a group of friends were playing on a rope swing over the River Tyne.
David, along with his friend, ended up in the water when their fun turned dangerous. According to reports, David attempted to rescue his younger friend who was struggling in the river. The 13-year-old was pulled from the water and taken to hospital in critical condition, while David’s body was later recovered by emergency services.
Local friends and residents have laid flowers at the scene to honour David. One of his friends, Millie Weatherson, posted a heartfelt tribute on Facebook: “Rest easy David Radut until we meet again and when we do don’t take my shoes off me and call me little legs, haha forever a big miss.
The tragic incident led to the tree with the rope swing being chopped down, though Northumberland County Council confirmed it was not responsible for this action. The swing was removed by firefighters on Sunday afternoon as a precautionary measure.
Emergency services, including ambulance, police, and fire and rescue crews, were quickly on the scene following the incident on Saturday afternoon. Photos show the extensive response, including the use of a helicopter and boats in the search efforts.
This is the second tragedy to occur on this stretch of the River Tyne. In July 2022, 13-year-old Robert Hattersley from Crawcrook also lost his life in the water. Robert’s father, Carl Hattersley, expressed his condolences to David’s family: “I feel very upset about it. We know what they are going through. It’s upsetting that they’ve lost their little son. It’s brought back memories of what we have gone through.”
As the community mourns, no further update has been released on the condition of the 13-year-old boy who remains in hospital
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