01/06/2026
UPDATE: Police to remain at River Don overnight, as search for missing boy prepares to enter second day
Police will remain at the River Don overnight, as the search for a missing boy prepares to enter the second day.
A major search operation began just after 8pm yesterday (Saturday 30 May) following reports that an 11-year-old boy had entered the river near Ferry Boat Lane in Mexborough and had not been seen since.
Over the course of today, the multi-agency operation - involving emergency services, an underwater search team, and Mountain Rescue – has searched the river, the riverbank, and nearby open land.
Sadly, the boy has not yet been found.
Family Liaison Officers remain in regular contact with his family.
PC Simon Bennett, the Police Search Advisor who has been coordinating the search teams today, said: “Since first light, experts with specialist knowledge and skills have assisted our search of the river, the riverbank, and nearby open land. The underwater search team initially waded in the shallow waters before boarding sled boats, while a boat with sonar has been used to search deeper waters. Officers from SYP and South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service have also checked the river bank, while Mountain Rescue have assisted the teams on nearby land. We’ve also been supported from above by air searches.
“As we have now lost daylight, the search has become more challenging and we will have to await first light to resume extensive search activities, but we aren’t giving up – police officers will remain at the River Don overnight and we are already putting plans in place for further searches of the River Don and nearby land tomorrow.
“The boy and his family are at the forefront of our minds and we are all doing everything we can to find this young man. I must thank the local community who have allowed us to conduct the search with few onlookers to ensure the boy and his family are afforded the dignity the deserve.
“We have had so many offers of help but, for everyone’s safety, must ask people to refrain from conducting their own searches of land or water – we have enough resources to continue the search and have access to a national network of specialists should we need them in the coming days.”
