Search continues for 11-year-old Mackenzie Swift in River Don

South Yorkshire Police kept searching the River Don for 11-year-old Mackenzie Swift after witnesses and items left on the riverbank identified the point where he entered the water near Ferry Boat Lane in Mexborough.

The major operation began just after 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 30, 2026, after officers were called to the South Yorkshire site and were told the schoolboy had gone into the river and had not been seen since. Police said there was no indication so far that Mackenzie got out of the water.

The search drew in a wide multi-agency response that included South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, Woodhead Mountain Rescue, an underwater search team, the National Police Air Service, the police helicopter, drones and the Yorkshire Ambulance Service. Officers continued the search from first light, using specialist teams and air support to cover the river and surrounding ground.

Family Liaison Officers have been in contact with Mackenzie’s family throughout the operation. Doncaster District Commander Chief Superintendent Pete Thorp said officers would continue to do everything in their power to find Mackenzie and support his family through what he described as every parent’s worst nightmare. Police also urged members of the public not to enter the river or carry out their own searches, citing safety risks and asking people not to speculate.

The case has taken place against a grim backdrop of recent tragedies involving young people in open water during hot weather. Police have pointed to a wider pattern of dangerous incidents during the heatwave, including the death of 12-year-old Junior Slater in the River Ribble in Lancashire. That wider context has sharpened concern about river safety as emergency crews continue to deal with the consequences of warm-weather swimming, strong currents and fast-changing conditions in open water.