Tributes have been paid to a “kind” and “respectful” young footballer who died after “getting into difficulty” in a London lake.
Izaiah Smith was recovered from the lake at Beckenham Place Park in Lewisham on Friday after an urgent search was launched to find the 15-year-old.
Specialist divers, paramedics and firefighters rushed to the park at around 3pm and spent eight hours searching for Izaiah, before his body was discovered.
In a tribute to the teenager, his football academy Seda described him as having “huge character” with “infectious energy.”
“Izaiah was such a bright light within our programme. Always present at training, he greeted everyone with the most adorable smile,” the club said.
“His huge character and infectious energy will be deeply missed by us all. He was a truly respectful young man, always showing kindness and consideration to all the coaches and staff at Seda Academy.
“We all had so much time for Izaiah. He touched so many lives within our academy family. We hope our dear Izaiah rests peacefully. You will always be in our hearts.”
The lake is 285m (about 935ft) long and reaches depths of up to 3.5m (about 11ft). Around 35 firefighters were sent out to help with the search.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: “A boy was recovered from the lake at around 10.42pm on Friday 4 April.
“He was taken to hospital where he was sadly pronounced dead. His death is being treated as unexpected but not believed to be suspicious.”
In a statement, Lewisham Council, which manages the Beckenham Place Park, said the park has re-opened but the lake will remain closed with security in place until further notice.
“We are working closely with the police in order that their investigation establishes the full facts of what’s happened,” the council added.
