Broads death prompts warning over water safety

The death of a man on the Broads in Norfolk has highlighted the importance of "remaining vigilant regarding water safety", the Broads Authority has said.

A major search was launched and the broad was "closed to all craft" after reports a man in his 20s had entered the water from a boat at about 23:30 BST on Friday.

A body was recovered from Wroxham Broad on Sunday afternoon.

Police said the incident was being treated as unexplained but it was not believed to be suspicious.

"The Broads Authority is saddened to learn of the tragic death of a young man at Wroxham over the weekend and our thoughts are with his family and friends and those dealing with the incident," a spokesperson for the authority said.

"Whilst the incident happened on a private area of water, the authority offered assistance to the emergency services and helped restrict access to Wroxham Broad.

"Without wishing to speculate on the circumstances, this tragic incident highlights the importance of remaining vigilant regarding water safety."

Police said the family of the missing man, who has not been named, had been informed of the discovery.

The search involved Norfolk Police, Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service and HM Coastguard.

Hemsby Lifeboat, which also assisted with the search, thanked its crew for their "hard work, tenacity, resilience, and co-operation".

"Our crew responded swiftly, joining other emergency services in what became an extensive search operation lasting over 18 hours," a social media statement said.

"This was a particularly challenging operation, and our crew is deeply saddened by the outcome."

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