A major multi-agency operation has beenlaunched this evening following reports of a person in the River Thames near Tower Bridge.

Emergency services were alerted just before 5pm on Thursday (March 27), with a call being made to HM Coastguard reporting that someone was believed to be in the water near the iconic central London landmark.

Units from the Metropolitan Police, City of London Police, the London Coastguard, and HART paramedics from the London Ambulance Service attended the scene with initial response units arriving at 5:30pm.

Specialist teams, including marine and rescue units, were seen coordinating along the riverbank as efforts to locate the individual got underway.

A source for the London Ambulance Service confirmed that Hazardous Area Response Teams (HART) were dispatched to assist.

“We were called at 4:58pm today to reports of a person in the water near Tower Bridge. We sent a number of resources to the scene, including paramedics and our HART team. The incident remains ongoing.”

As of 6pm, there has been no official confirmation of whether a person was located or recovered from the water.

Police have cordoned off a section of the riverside walkway while the search operation takes place, and passersby reported seeing boats and personnel scanning the area with floodlights and thermal imaging equipment.

A large emergency service presence remains in the area.

We have reached out to the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police for official statements regarding the nature of the incident and any updates on the individual’s condition.

Members of the public with information are urged not to interfere with emergency operations but to contact the authorities if they have relevant details.

This is a developing story. More updates will follow as information becomes available.