Police issue update as Nicola Bulley diver joins river search for missing boy

28 February 2024 , 18:42

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Xielo Maruziva fell into the River Soar in Aylestone, Leicestershire, on February 18 (Image: Leicestershire Police / SWNS)

Police have issued an update after an expert diver and his search team once involved in the Nicola Bulley case joined the search for missing two-year-old Xielo Maruziva.

The little boy fell into the River Soar at Aylestone Meadows in Leicestershire on February 18 and the search has been led by the police with help from experts from all over the UK. Peter Faulding's Specialist Group International (SGI) stepped in to help at the request of Xielo's family.

The search for the boy is in its second week, with the focus on the stretch of river around Watermead Park and Birstall over the weekend, police said. Xielo's parents described their son as a "cheeky, funny" boy who is "a bundle of joy".

Experts from Specialist Group International (SGI) joined the search operation for little Xielo (PA)

Assistant Chief Constable Michaela Kerr thanked the company as she gave an update on the search this evening, reports Leicestershire Live. In a message released by Leicestershire Police, she said: "It has been an incredibly challenging week and I'd like to extend my absolute sympathies to the family of Xielo and reiterate our commitment to locate Xielo.

"Over the weekend we've been able to further extend our search area and we've now been searching areas around Watermead and Birstall. We've had support from a number of resources and I'd like to thank SGI, who have joined us in our search and provided us with both resources and their professional insights in our efforts to locate Xielo.

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"The public continue to be very supportive and both the police and Xielo's family are really appreciative of that, so thank you. I would ask members of the public not to come to the scene. It remains very difficult conditions and we want to make sure we focus all our efforts on locating Xielo."

Leicestershire Police Assistant Chief Constable Michaela Kerr (PA)

After it was confirmed that SGI would join the search, Ms Kerr said: "We continue to be grateful to the support we've been shown by the public and colleagues from other forces and agencies. We're in regular contact with Xielo's family and are continuing to support them in what remains a very upsetting time.

"Our search operation to locate Xielo continues to widen as we know he may have travelled further from where he went into the water, and potentially outside our force area. I would like to reassure you that our operation is continuing and our teams will be carrying out co-ordinated searches at various points along the river."

She continued: "Our decision to involve SGI in the search (is) in liaison with Xielo's family and having spoken to both the company and independent specialists. I'd also like to remind the public that the river is dangerous and that they should not go into the water themselves."

Tom Mack