London Bridge attack: Police think body recovered from Thames is missing French tourist
Police believe a body recovered from the River Thames is French tourist Xavier Thomas, who has been missing since Saturday night’s London Bridge attack.
The Metropolitan Police specialist marine unit found the body last night.
Thomas was walking with his girlfriend Christine Delcros across the bridge on Saturday night while visiting London on holiday. Witnesses reported seeing a man falling into the river after being hit by the van.
Police said in a statement: “Detectives were appealing for information about Xavier Thomas, 45, a French national who had not been seen since the night of the terrorist attack on London Bridge.
“On Tuesday, 6 June, at approximately 19.44 hours the body of a man was recovered from the river, near Limehouse, by specialist officers from the Marine Police Unit.
“Formal identification has not yet taken place, however Mr. Thomas’ next of kin have been informed of this development.”
Delcros was seriously injured when she was struck by the van. She is believed to still be in hospital.
Eight people have now been confirmed dead after three terrorists used a van to plough into people on London Bridge on Saturday night, before launching a stabbing rampage in nearby bars and restaurants.
The family of Ignacio Echeverria, 39, from Spain, revealed he was killed after he used his skateboard as a weapon against the knife-wielding terrorists while trying to save a woman from being attacked.
Also killed in the attack were Australian nanny Sara Zeleank, French chef Sebastien Belanger, 36, his fellow countryman and friend Alexandre Pigeard, 27, nurse Kirsty Boden, from Australia, British business owner James McMullan, 32, from Hackney, and Canadian tourist Christine Archibald, 30.
Police said all of the 15 victims still in a critical condition have been identified.
Four police officers were wounded in the attack. Scotland Yard said an off-duty Metropolitan Police officer and a British Transport Police officer were in hospital with serious injuries, but neither is believed to be in a life-threatening condition.
