An 11-year-old girl who went missing at a water park near Windsor on Saturday has died, Thames Valley Police have confirmed.
The girl’s death is being treated as unexplained and an investigation has been launched.
“This has been an extremely traumatic and upsetting incident for all involved,” local policing area commander for Windsor and Maidenhead, Superintendent Michael Greenwood, said.
“I am aware that several members of the public entered the lake shortly after the girl got into difficulty, but were unable to locate her.
“I would like to commend them for their courage and bravery.”
Police were called at about 4pm to reports of a young girl getting into difficulty at Liquid Leisure. About an hour later, they found her, and she was taken to hospital, but she did not survive.
The girl’s family have been informed, although formal identification is still pending.
One witness, who had been at the park with her children, told Sky News the girl was seen going under the water and “didn’t come back up”.
“At that point, the lifeguards came running,” she said.
“She was with a group of friends for a girl’s birthday” said the mother, who did not want to be named.
“My daughter spoke to the birthday group.”
Members of the public who were at the activity park were asked to call her name on the beach, in case she had got out of the water and was back on land.
“But no one found her,” the witness said. “The lifeguards were working incredibly hard.
“After about 30 minutes, we were asked to leave the beach, just as the ambulance and fire crew arrived at the site. There was a police helicopter, air ambulance, and a boat for search and rescue.
“I saw one of the adults from the group which the girl had been with, and I asked if I could do anything to help, and she just asked that I prayed for her.”
Staff ‘asked customers for goggles’ to look underwater
A second witness told Sky News: “We were waiting to go on things and lifeguards were running all over the obstacles and looking under them.
“They were dismantling the Ninja Warrior near the beach, looking for her.
“Staff actually started asking customers for goggles, to look for her underwater.”
Sky News has contacted Liquid Leisure for comment.