A woman found dead after reportedly entering the River Welland at Moulton Marsh to rescue her dog, has been named locally as Seonaid Patel (35), of Moulton Seas End.
A huge search and rescue operation was launched at the nature reserve at 10.15am last Wednesday (June 13) and a body found at 1.35pm.
Dog walker Linda Middleton, of Holbeach, said: “This is such a tragic incident. The death of such a young woman in such circumstances is just awful.”
Lincolnshire Police worked with Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, East Midlands Ambulance Service and the coastguard. Helicopters sent by Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance, National Police Air Service and the coastguard and a police drone and several boats provided by Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue and the RNLI from Hunstanton helped.
A RNLI spokesman advised dog owners never to follow pets into water and to call 999 if worried.
He said: “Keep dogs on a lead if you’re close to cliff edges or fast flowing rivers.
“If you pet goes into the water or gets stuck in mud, don’t go after him/her. Move to a place your pet can get to safely and call to them – they’ll probably get out by themselves.”
