UK kayakers found dead

UK police have revealed that three kayakers found dead in a Northumberland river following a major search and rescue operation were all from the same family.

The alarm was raised at 11pm last night (Sunday) when the three failed to return home.

The RAF, Coastguard and the Police Marine Unit joined in the hunt for the three on the River Tyne near Riding Mill after they didn’t go home.

The three kayakers were two brothers, aged 41 and 40, and their cousin, aged 36, all from South Shields, South Tyneside.

Chief Superintendent Gordon Milward described the conditions on the Tyne yesterday as “challenging” following heavy rain over the weekend.

He said: “The weather was unpredictable, in terms of some very heavy showers and the river was higher than usual and fast-flowing.

“They would be challenging conditions for anybody who decided to go into the water.”

“There is a considerable length of the river we need to search. We need to do so speedily, properly and thoroughly and make sure no nook and cranny is missed.

“It’s about that balance between speed and thoroughness.”