Pictured: Teen who died at Salford Quays despite huge rescue effort

Pictured: Man, 19, who died in the water at Salford Quays despite huge rescue operation as toll from hottest day drownings reaches seven

  • Ngapee Merenga was pulled out of Salford Quays by emergency crews last night
  • The 19-year-old had got into difficulty after going for a swim with football friends
  • It comes as sixth body was recovered from disused Derbyshire quarry last night 
  • An hour later another was pulled from a lake in Crookes Valley Park, in Sheffield 
  • Elsewhere a ‘true gentleman’ cricketer, 45, died after heart attack while bowling while a man died of heat stroke while playing football in Tower Hamlets

A 19-year-old man who died in the water at Salford Quays has been named as Ngapee Merenga as the drowning death toll from this weekend’s heatwave has now reached seven.

It is understood that Ngapee, from Ardwick, had been swimming with friends from his football team when he disappeared under the water on Sunday evening.

A number of young men reportedly made desperate attempts to rescue him until the emergency services arrived and launched a major rescue operation.

Greater Manchester Police said the body of a 19-year-old man was recovered from the water at about 7.40pm.

It comes as the death toll from the hottest weekend of the year reaches seven after a string of tragedies across England with bodies being recovered from rivers, quarries and a quay.

Today, friends and family gathered at the spot where the tragedy unfolded to pay their respects to Ngapee.

Pictured: A 19-year-old man who died at Salford Quays has been named as Ngapee Merenga

Friends and family gathered at Salford Quays after the death of teenager Ngapee Merenga

Some laid flowers while others left heart-felt tribute messages in chalk at the water’s edge.

Yahya Mazhar, 18, played football with Ngapee for East Central Falcons FC in Ardwick. He described his friend as a ‘good guy’ and a talented footballer.

Yahya said the team had played a match on Sunday morning before heading to Salford Quays for a swim.

Yahya, from Longsight, said: ‘We had been here for about an hour and we’d been swimming.

‘We were about to go and Ngapee said he wanted to jump in one last time. He jumped in and never came back up.’

Yahya described the incident as ‘devastating’.

He and the team have launched a GoFundMe page to help Ngapee’s family with funeral costs.

‘He always just such a good guy and always smiling,’ Yahya added. ‘If we’d lost a game of football afterwards he’d always find a way to get our heads back up.

Ngapee Merenga died after getting into difficulty while swimming in Salford Quays (pictured)

Emergency services rushed to the scene after Ngapee was seen getting into difficulty

‘I’ve trained with him for a while and he meant a lot to all of us.’

Ngapee, a striker, was East Central Falcons FC’s top goal scorer last season, scoring 17 goals in 14 matches plus two assists.

Friends say he worked hard at his football and studied sports science at the Nicholls campus of The Manchester College.

It’s understood that Ngapee had moved to Manchester with his family from Namibia around five years ago.

Mike Edwards, manager and coach of East Central Falcons, described Ngapee as ‘a true legend’.

He said: ‘He always gave his best to the team and he was our top goal scorer.

‘You could not have met a nicer person either. Words can’t describe the emotions people are going through right now.

‘As a coach and manager, they played a game and then everyone had gone out to enjoy the sun.

A large cordon was set up at Salford Quays Sunday as crews worked to rescue the teen

‘The next thing, you’re waking up to this terrible news that Ngapee has died. The most important thing now is for everyone to come to terms with what has happened.

‘Myself and the team have come to down here today to pay our respects and make sure that he rests in peace.’

The young man’s body was found after a huge search operation involving Greater Manchester Police, the fire service and a police helicopter.

In a statement, released on Sunday, GMP said: ‘At about 4.40pm on Sunday 18 July, officers were called over concerns for a man in the water at Salford Quays.

‘NWAS and GMFRS also attended but, sadly, the body of a 19-year-old man was recovered from the water at about 7.40pm. An investigation is under way and a file passed to the coroner.’  

Meanwhile, a seventh person has been confirmed to have died in separate drowning incidents across England over what was the hottest weekend of the year so far – while two others died from a heart attack and ‘heat stroke’.

Reports of a man getting into difficulty had been made at the Crookes Valley Park (pictured)

The latest victim was today revealed to be a 29-year-old man who drowned after ‘accidentally getting out of his depth’ in the surf near Blackpool on Saturday.

The RNLI and coastguard launched a frantic five-hour search for the stricken swimmer when he suddenly went under the waves at around 3.25pm and failed to resurface. 

It was later confirmed that the victim, from Bolton, had been at the seaside enjoying the warm weather with a group of friends. 

It was also revealed this afternoon that a man’s body was recovered from a disused quarry in Dove Holes, Buxton, Derbyshire on Sunday evening.

Derbyshire police said they were called to the Victory Quarry at around 7pm last night, following reports that someone had entered the water and ‘found himself in difficulty.’

Emergency services located a body at just before midnight at Crookes Valley Park in Sheffield, where the fire service had rushed to the scene (pictured)

The force said firefighters and paramedics also attended the scene but ‘despite extensive search and rescue efforts, the man’s body was recovered from the water shortly before 11pm.’  

In a plea for no further tragedies, group manager at the Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service Paul Hawker said: ‘When the weather is hot, we know people are tempted to cool down by swimming and jumping into open water, however no matter how warm the weather is, the water remains cold which can cause the body to go into cold water shock, making it difficult for even the strongest swimmer. 

‘Hidden rocks and debris can also pose a threat as swimmers can easily get tangled and trapped.

‘Yesterday there were over 200 people at Waterswallows Quarry, not far from Victory Quarry, and no-doubt countless others at quarries, reservoirs and rivers across the county. 

‘Despite repeated prevention messages and visits from the emergency services at known risks in the local area advising of the danger of swimming in flooded quarries where depth change can be quite sudden, it really is sad that a man has lost his life in such tragic circumstances.

The six tragic drownings across England over the past weekend as Brits took to unsafe disused quarries and lakes to cool off in the sizzling temperatures 

‘With the hot weather set to continue and lockdown restrictions now lifted, we know people will be out and about enjoying the sunshine but ask that people stay safe and stay out of the water.’ 

Authorities also revealed Monday that another man was pulled from a lake in Sheffield late on Sunday evening, several hours after going missing. He was the fifth drowning victim from this past weekend, of which there are now at least six. 

Reports of a man coming into difficulty had been made at the Crookes Valley Park at 7.31pm, before emergency services located a body at just before midnight. 

Specialist search teams did everything in their power to find him, a police spokesman said. 

The tragic news emerged after four other people had already been confirmed to have lost their lives in separate drowning incidents around the country.      

Emergency services had urged sunseekers to stay safe after the bodies of three teenagers and a man in his 50s were pulled from rivers and lakes.

One of the teenagers, who drowned in the river Eden, was named today as 16-year-old Mohammad Abdul Hamid.

Cumbria police said: ‘The body of a boy found following a multi-agency search of the river Eden has been formally identified as Mohammad Abdul Hamid known as Hamid, 16, of Carlisle. 

‘The circumstances are being investigated on behalf of the coroner.

‘His family and friends are being supported by officers.’ 

The force confirmed that the body of the teenager had been found near Stony Holme at around 11.45am.    

It was also revealed Monday that a man collapsed and died after reportedly suffering from extreme ‘heat stroke’ while playing football in Tower Hamlets yesterday. 

Although paramedics arrived within seven minutes, the unnamed man died at the scene. 

Not 24 hours earlier, cricketer Maqsood Anwar, 45, died from a suspected heart attack while bowling in 81F weather. 

He had earlier experienced chest pains but decided to play on in soaring temperatures in Barry, south Wales. 

Teammates rushed to call 999 but tragically the father-of-two, known by friends as ‘Max’, could not be revived.

A friend told The Sun: ‘The ambulance was there and they confirmed it was a heart attack, they tried to revive him but if was too late.

‘He passed away doing what he loved doing – playing cricket.’

The match was then abandoned, with players instead paying tribute to the ‘true gentleman’ and ‘tallest and friendliest of men’.

Sunday became the hottest day of the year so far for both England and Wales with temperatures of 86F (30.2C) recorded in Cardiff and 88F (31.6C) at London’s Heathrow Airport.

Cricketer Maqsood Anwar, 45, died on Saturday from a suspected heart attack while bowling in 81F weather. He had earlier experienced chest pains but decided to play on

The heatwave figures prompted a warning from the Met Office as well as from Public Health England. 

Police in North Yorkshire announced they had recovered a body from the River Ouse after being called for help by kayakers (stock photo)

Thames Valley Police (TVP) confirmed that a teenage girl had been brought from the water in Witney, near Oxford

Police in North Yorkshire also announced they had recovered a body from the River Ouse after being called for help by kayakers yesterday.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: ‘Sadly, the body of a man in his 50s was recovered from the River Ouse, close to the Water End Bridge in York this evening (18 July).

‘Police attended the scene, along with the fire and ambulance services, after being contacted by kayakers shortly before 5pm.

‘His next of next of kin have been informed and police have said that their thoughts are with them at this very sad time.’

Thames Valley Police (TVP) then confirmed that a teenage girl had been brought from the water in Witney, near Oxford.

‘As you might be aware, our officers attended Ducklington Lake, in Witney at 2.35pm today after a fear for welfare report concerning a teenage girl in the water,’ TVP West Oxon tweeted.

Sunday became the hottest day of the year so far for both England and Wales with temperatures of 86F (30.2C) recorded in Cardiff and 88F (31.6C) at London’s Heathrow Airport

‘Officers attended with both fire and ambulance services, and the girl was brought from the water and taken to hospital. Tragically, the girl later died in hospital.

‘The girl’s family have been informed, and are being closely supported by specially trained officers. The death is being treated as unexplained and non-suspicious, and a file will be prepared for the coroner.

‘We are very sorry to bring you this tragic news. Our thoughts are with the girl’s family and loved ones at this incredibly difficult time.’

The summer heat tempted thousands of swimmers to cool off in the sea, a lake, or other waterways, however experts urged caution.

The Canal and Rivers Trust ‘strongly advised’ against going into water, as ‘there are too many risks that you can’t see hidden below the surface’. 

The trust said deeper water poses its own serious dangers in rivers and canals, and can be much harder to get out of if you can’t put your feet on the ground.

Rivers, docks, and quays tend to be much deeper than canals. 

It warned that even on hot days , ‘inland water will be colder than you think’, the trust says, with reservoirs and docks particularly susceptible to cold temperatures as they’re deeper.

Low temperatures can cause the blood to rush away from muscles to protect the organs and limbs and muscles may become fatigued quickly – this can lead to drowning.

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