Young boy dies after falling in river
The five year old fell into a Ballymena river at lunchtime on Saturday.
Last updated 11th Feb 2018
A 5 year old boy has died after he fell into the River Braid in Ballymena on Saturday afternoon.
The alarm was raised just after 1 o'clock and emergency services descended on the scene close to the Ecos centre.
Two hours later he was recovered from the water a few miles downstream.
He was flown by air ambulance to the Royal Victoria Hospital where he later died.
PSNI Insp Shaf Ali said: "I would like to thank everyone involved in the search effort and extend my sincerest condolences to the family at this time."
A spokesman for the Ambulance Service said:
"The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service was alerted to an incident today 13:04 following reports that a 5 year old boy had fallen into the River Braid in Ballymena.
"NIAS despatched an A&E crew, a BASICS doctor and the Air Ambulance to the scene to assist in a multi agency search and rescue for the boy.
"The child has been recovered from the water and at 15:04 was airlifted by air ambulance to the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.
"The thoughts of all involved in the rescue are with the young boy and his family."