26 May 2023 , 15:17
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A body has been found in the hunt for a missing schoolboy who vanished near a river.
Oliwier Kaczmarowski, 15, was seen on CCTV entering the River Trent near a bridge in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, at 9.20pm on Monday.
A massive search was launched with drones and underwater search teams scouring the river looking for the boy.
Members of the public also launched their own searches in hopes of finding the boy.
Today Lincolnshire Police confirmed they found a body about 300 metres from where he missing.
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The force said that while formal identification still needs to take place, Oliwier's family were informed of the development.
A police spokesperson said: "You will be aware that we have had a significant search effort around the River Trent in Gainsborough as we try to locate Oliwier.
Search teams were deployed to the RIver Trent (Derby Telegraph/Simon Deacon)"Today, that has included a specially-trained underwater search team and officers searching the banks.
"We are saddened to report that this afternoon, we have recovered a body around 300m from the Flood Road bridge.
"Officers remain on scene as we start the difficult process of removing the body, and we ask that people do not share images or posts from the location.
"No formal identification has yet been carried out, so we are unable to confirm that it is Oliwier at this time. Procedures to identify the body are ongoing.
"Oliwier’s family have been informed of developments and our thoughts are with them at this most difficult of times. We ask that their privacy is respected.
"We are currently treating the death as unexplained, and we are liaising with the Coroner."
On Thursday police confirmed they believed Oliwier had entered the water after retrieving CCTV of him near the riverbank.
Superintendent Phil Baker said previously: “The last three days has seen a significant round-the-clock effort to find Oliwier.
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"This has included searching abandoned buildings along the River Trent where he was last seen, searching footpaths, undergrowth, and local farmer’s fields, as well as speaking with friends, family, and his school, and reviewing CCTV footage and social media accounts.
“Having carefully pieced together Oliwier’s movements since he was last seen on Monday evening, we are now in the sad position to say that we believe he has entered the water.
"We have come to this belief after viewing CCTV footage which shows someone entering the water near the riverbank at The Flood Road bridge in Gainsborough at around 9.20pm on Monday.
"This is around the same location and time we had a last confirmed sighting of Oliwier.
"Because of this, we are now treating this as a recovery operation, and focusing our efforts in the water and along the water’s edge."
Supt Baker also thanked the local community who had been walking the river banks and locations around the River Trent as well as printing out posters of the teenager.
He added: "We would like to recognise the enormous support shown by the local community, which has included sharing information and local searches."