Family left ‘devastated’ after body of teenage son found in the River Tees

The family of 15-year-old Anas El-Rafai have spoken of their devastation after his body was found in the River Tees.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

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.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The alarm was raised at around 5pm on Monday, August 17, with the emergency services and a major search operation began.

Anas El-Rafai, 15, sadly passed away on Monday, August 17, after he entered the River Tees at Broken Scar in Darlington.Anas El-Rafai, 15, sadly passed away on Monday, August 17, after he entered the River Tees at Broken Scar in Darlington.
Anas El-Rafai, 15, sadly passed away on Monday, August 17, after he entered the River Tees at Broken Scar in Darlington.
Read More
Sunderland pensioner, 90, left shaken and upset after thief snatches wallet cont...

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.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Members 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.

A message from the editor:

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

You can subscribe to this website and enjoy unlimited access to local news and information online and on our app.

With a digital subscription, you can read more than five articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content.

Simply click ‘Subscribe’ in the menu. You can subscribe to the newspaper with 20% off here.

Thank you.

Related topics: