Inquest opened into death of 13-year-old Faud Adebanjo at Royal Victoria Dock

An inquest has been opened into the death of Faud Oladapo Adebanjo, a 13-year-old boy who drowned in Royal Victoria Dock. Faud entered the water on June 29 to retrieve a football but did not resurface. He was pronounced dead shortly after 5pm on the same day.

Inquest proceedings

The inquest into Faud’s death was opened at East London Coroner’s Court on August 26. Coroner’s officer Jean Smyth told the court that Faud was with friends when he went into the water. Emergency services, including a police helicopter, attended the scene. A post-mortem examination confirmed the cause of death as drowning. Area coroner Nadia Persaud has requested witness statements and CCTV footage of the incident.

Official response and support

Detective Superintendent Scott Ware of the Metropolitan Police expressed condolences to Faud’s family and asked for their privacy to be respected. He also urged the public to avoid speculation and sharing distressing material online. Royal Docks Waterways issued a statement expressing sadness and offering thoughts to the family, confirming they would work with partners to improve safety messaging.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, stated his heart goes out to the family. He has asked Royal Docks officials to ensure the family receives all available support and is remaining in touch with the Met Police during their investigation into the circumstances.

Next steps

A full inquest into the death of Faud Oladapo Adebanjo is scheduled to take place in January. The investigation is ongoing, with inquiries continuing to establish the full circumstances of the incident.