Police have found a fifth body in the River thames in London in just three weeks after a man was discovered washed up on the riverbank in Putney yesterday – with his death being treated as ‘unexplained’.
Updates on Abdul Ezedi
This comes after police found a body on Tuesday believed to be of Clapham chemical attacker Abdul Ezedi, 35, who was wanted for dousing his former lover and her two young children with alkaline in Clapham, south London, on January 31.
The Met Police were called at 8.19am yesterday to reports of the body on the Shingles Riverbank in Putney, south west London.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) attempted CPR on the man but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
What Police Think
Police have said that at this stage, the death is being treated as unexplained, pending further investigation.
This comes after the Met’s Marine Policing Unit recovered the bodies of 45 people in the River Thames last year, which is the most in the last few years. Around 324 have been pulled out over the last 12 years.
Regarding the incident in Putney yesterday, police said: ‘On Thursday, 22nd February at 08:19 hours, police were called to body on the Shingles Riverbank at Putney.
‘RNLI attempted CPR. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.
‘Anyone who has information is asked to call police on 101 or Tweet @MetCC quoting 1341/22FEB.’
Convicted sex offender Ezedi carried out his horrific onslaught on January 31 before fleeing, having appeared to have also burnt his own face in the assault. He was last seen alive on CCTV later that evening leaning over London’s Chelsea Bridge.
On Monday, February 19, a passing boat reported seeing a body in the water near Tower Pier – four miles from Ezedi’s last known position.
The next day police confirmed they had recovered the remains, believed to be the Afghan-born asylum seeker’s. The body was recovered by the Met’s Marine Policing Unit and has been viewed by detectives working on the investigation.
After the body was found Commander Jon Savell said on Monday: ‘Based on the distinctive clothing he was wearing at the time of the attack and property found on his body, we strongly believe we have recovered the body of Ezedi. We have been in contact with his family to pass on the news.’
Two bodies were also found on February 10 in the search for Ezedi, but neither turned out to be him.
Officers found one man from the river near the HMS Belfast, a ship-come-museum which permanently moored in the Thames between London Bridge and Tower Bridge in central London.
