IT IS now nearly 24 hours since a man in his 20s went missing in the Thames just off Gordon Promenade in Gravesend and this afternoon’s search has now been suspended.

Rescue teams from the Medway and Sheppey coastguard, the Gravesend RNLI lifeboat, the Port of London Authority and Kent Police were all involved in a search during low tide this lunchtime.

But they found no trace of the missing man so the search has been suspended as low water has now passed.

The lunchtime search – which started at around midday – was the second low tide shoreline search to be carried out by emergency services, with the first having taken place at around midnight.

A spokeswoman from the London Coastguard says the search has not been called off and discussions about what to do next are on-going with police officers.

The incident began at about 3.30pm yesterday when the London Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre was contacted by a member of the public who said two people were in difficulty in the water just off the promenade.

The RNLI lifeboat from Gravesend was sent immediately to the scene.

A group of four people – believed to all be teenagers – dived in to save the girl but were unable to reach the man.

The mother of one of the rescuers, Maria Wellard, 40, told News Shopper yesterday: "My son Kieran had been sunbathing with friends on the bank then all of a sudden he heard people shouting and he got up to see what it was.

"People were saying there was somebody in trouble in the water and out of instinct he ran straight into the water and rescued the woman."

Sixteen-year-old Kieran, of Eglinton Road, Swanscombe was taken by ambulance to hospital to be examined.

Two launches from the PLA and Metropolitan Police joined the RNLI lifeboat in searching the sea with the Essex Police helicopter searching from the air.

London Coastguard watch manager Philip Myers said: “The lifeboat was on scene really quickly and everyone involved did everything they could to find the man.

“This is increasingly looking like a tragic accident.”

A Kent Police spokeswoman said: "Police were called to Gordon Promenade, Gravesend following a report that a man had been seen in the water and had not resurfaced.

"The man is believed to be a local and in his twenties.”

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