Family left ‘devastated’ after body of teenage son found in the River Tees
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The family of the teenager say they are “devastated” by the death of their “fit and healthy” son after he got into difficulty in the River Tees.
Anas El-Rafai entered the River Tees at Broken Scar in Darlington where he was spotted in difficulty due to the strong currents.
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Hide AdThe alarm was raised at around 5pm on Monday, August 17, with the emergency services and a major search operation began.
Search teams sadly found his body just before midnight.
In a statement issued through Durham Police, his parents said that the teenager was popular with his classmates and that he will be missed.
They said: “Anas was a fit and healthy young man. He was very popular at school. We are devastated and miss him so much.”
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Hide AdMembers of the public were told to stay clear of the area on Monday evening while teams worked to locate the missing 15-year-old.
Police have confirmed that Anas, who is from Darlington, was formally identified on Tuesday, August 18.
Officers say that his death is not being treated as suspicious and that a file will now be prepared for the coroner.