Police searching for missing student Euan Coulthard find body

POLICE searching for missing law student Euan Coulthard today said they believed they had found his body in the River Wear.

Euan CoulthardDURHAM POLICE

Student Euan Coulthard's body has been recovered

Durham Police brought in specialist dive teams after a member of the public spotted a body in the water in the morning.

Parts of Framwellgate Bridge in the city were cordoned off as a covered stretcher was taken away in an ambulance.

A Durham Police spokeswoman said: “Police divers searching the river Wear in Durham City have recovered a body believed to be that of missing student Euan Coulthard.

“At around 9:15 this morning police responded to a call from a member of the public saying they had seen a body in the river.

“Specialist police divers began a search of the river, near to Framwellgate Bridge and the body was recovered.

“A post mortem examination will take place later.”

Euan’s devastated family were informed of the developments.

Desperate friends of the 19-year-old had been helping with the search for Durham University student, who vanished following a night out in the city.

CCTV from the night Euan disappeared shows a man police believe to be the law student, crossing the bridge and then heading down steps towards the river.

He had left a nightclub alone and was last seen in the early hours of January 14.

Body recovered from river SWNS

A body has been found in the river where police were searching for Euan Coulthard's body

Police divers searching the river Wear in Durham City have recovered a body believed to be that of missing student Euan Coulthard.

Durham Police spokeswoman

His friends flooded social media, distraught at the news.

One wrote on Twitter: “An overwhelming feeling of sadness today at Durham Uni. 

“Thoughts and prayers go out to Euan’s family and friends.”

On a Facebook group launched to help find the teen, with more than 6,000 likes, the page’s organiser wrote: “Rest in Peace Euan, you will never be forgotten! 

“You were a brilliant chap, great cadet and all round top lad. 

“It was a pleasure knowing you. 

“Thank you everyone for your support, kind words and fantastic efforts in help to find Euan.”

A petition to improve riverbank safety has been signed by 12,000 as Sope Peters and Luke Pearce, also students at Durham University, drowned in the river after nights out.

“Model student” Euan, from Bottesford, Leicestershire, was in his second year at St Mary’s College, Durham.

He had been for an Italian meal to celebrate a friend’s 21st birthday, and went on to the Love Shack nightclub in the city centre.

Following his disappearance police studied hours of CCTV footage and a man believed to be Euan was seen leaving the club at around 11.50pm.

He had since not responded to texts, emails or Facebook messages which is out of character, police said.

Hundreds of posters were put up in shop windows showing a picture of Euan and information on where he was last seen.

Undergraduate Charles Capel, 20, said: “The student feeling is very much one of confusion as well as to some extent anger and obviously angst and melancholy.”

Speaking about the other river deaths, he said: “I think the first time was a tragic accident, the second time was a little bit suspicious and the third time is beyond coincidence.

“I think feelings are turning to how can we solve the issue.”

He said students should be educated about the dangers of visiting the river at night, and lighting improved.

River WearSWNS

Police divers pull a body from River Wear
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