Kingston man pulled from Thames dies of shock

A man was rescued from the river at Kingston but later died of a heart attack.

Ryan Rocastle

A man, who was rescued from the River Thames on Monday, died of a heart attack later on in the day,Kingston police have confirmed.

The man in his 50s was found alive in the river, but died after arriving at a south London hospital, they said.  

A police helicopter, river safety officers, and paramedics were called to Kingston Bridge at about 3pm on Monday. The ambulance service was called at 2.55pm to reports of a person in the river.

The man was pulled from the cold water by officers at Kingston Bridge.

Public call for help

Speedboats rushed to the scene in an attempt to rescue the man after passers-by dialled 999 for help.

Despite saving him from drowning, the emergency services were unable to prevent his death from a heart attack.

They did not reveal his identity but said that the man’s relatives had been informed of his death.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “At this stage, the death is being treated as unexplained until the facts can be established.”

Last month Kingston student Jamie Smith died after falling into the River Thames following an evening out during which he was asked to leave  Bacchus nightclub.