Woman dies after being pulled five miles along river near Leeds

A woman who fell into the River Aire in Leeds and was dragged by the current for five miles has died in hospital.

Emergency services were called on during the early hours of Thursday after being told that a woman had been seen in the water near Clarence Dock.

Officers and the National Police Air Service (NPAS) were deployed, with the woman, aged in her thirties, pulled to safety near Woodlesford.

Despite their best efforts, she was pronounced dead yesterday afternoon. Enquiries are now ongoing to establish how she came to be in the river but are not thought to be suspicious.

A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: “At 1.36am yesterday (Thursday), police were notified that a woman was believed to be in the River Aire close to Clarence Dock in Leeds.

“Officers and the National Police Air Service were deployed and the woman was located moving downstream towards Woodlesford, where she was brought to safety by the fire service and taken to hospital.

“The woman, who was in her thirties, sadly passed away in hospital yesterday afternoon.

“Enquiries are ongoing to establish how she came to be in the river but there are not thought to be any suspicious circumstances at this time.”