Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Harvey Parker: Body found in River Thames during search for missing student

Police believe the gifted music student had entered the water after leaving a nightclub alone

Lamiat Sabin
Wednesday 05 January 2022 14:26 EST
Comments
Harvey Parker was last seen on CCTV walking towards Embankment on 17 December 2021
Harvey Parker was last seen on CCTV walking towards Embankment on 17 December 2021 (PA)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Police have recovered the body of a man from the River Thames amid their search for 20-year-old Harvey Parker, who went missing after leaving a nightclub last month.

The Metropolitan Police was alerted by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution just before midday on Tuesday (4 January) to reports of a body in the river near Embankment.

Officers from the Met’s Marine Support Unit recovered the body.

The death is being treated as unexplained while a report is being compiled by a coroner.

Family liaison officers have informed Mr Parker’s family of the discovery while formal indentification of the body awaits.

Mr Parker, a gifted music student at the University of York who worked front of house at Theatre Royal Stratford East, was last seen leaving Heaven Nightclub, by Charing Cross Railway Station, alone at about 2.15am on Friday 17 December.

After leaving the venue, CCTV footage shows him walking down Craven Street and south towards Embankment.

A friend of his said Mr Parker had been to a Little Simz concert in Brixton, south London, before going to the nightclub.

On Wednesday (5 January), the Met Police said that investigators had viewed CCTV near the Golden Jubilee Bridge and believe Mr Parker may have entered the water there.

The police force said that there was nothing to suggest that anyone else was involved in his disappearance.

Detective Chief Inspector Lucy O’Connor, of the Central South Command Unit, said: “Sadly a body has been recovered from the Thames near where Harvey was last seen.

“We are providing Harvey’s family with all the available information. We are also asking for media to please respect the family’s privacy at this challenging and difficult time.”

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in