Body of missing Scots tourist Joop Sparkes found in Prague river as 'heartbroken' family pay tribute | 928Z9D5 | 2024-05-12 06:08:01
THE BODY of a missing Scots tourist has been pulled from a river one week after he vanished after he jumped from a party boat in the Czech Republic.
Joop Sparkes, 29, was enjoying a holiday in Prague and was last seen boarding the riverboat in the early hours of the morning on Sunday, April 28.
The construction worker, from Galashiels, is believed to have lept into the water while the party boat was near the Charles Bridge.
His girlfriend, Charley Maben, 24, was alerted to his disappearance just hours later.
An urgent search was launched after the incident, with police boats and divers scouring the Vltava River.
Desperate relatives flew out to the Czech capital and have also been carrying out their own searches for Joop.
And now Joop's body has been recovered from the water during the search operation.
According to Prague Morning, the body of a man was pulled from the Vltava River yesterday but hasn't officially been identified yet.
Forensic experts are now working to determine the identity of the man.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office confirmed that Joop has tragically died and they are supporting his heartbroken family.
A spokesperson said: "We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in Czech Republic and are in contact with the local authorities".
Police of the Czech Republic confirmed that Joops tragically drowned in the water after jumping off the boat.
<!-- End of Brightcove Player --> The force added that "no third party culpability was found."
A spokesperson for the PCR said: "On Sunday evening, the Prague police went out to report the discovery of a body in the Vltava river, near the Štefánikov bridge.
"The police pulled the young man's body out of the water, identified it, and at the moment we can confirm that it was a 29-year-old foreigner who was missing after jumping from a party boat into the water a week ago, saying he was going for a swim.
"Unfortunately, the missing person drowned in the water and no third party culpability was found."
Joop's heartbroken sister Jodie Wilson has said the whole family have been left "heartbroken" in an emotional post on social media.
Sharing the news on Facebook, she wrote: "The family of Joop Sparkes would like to let you know that unfortunately it's been confirmed as Joop's body recovered from the water last night.
</div> </div> "We are all absolutely heartbroken and this wasn't the outcome we had hoped for but like we promised we are bringing our boy home.
"We love you to the moon and back Joopster and you have left the biggest hole in our hearts ever.
"Reasy easy baby bro".
It comes just days after Jodie Wilson said the family looked at employing private detectives to carry out drone searches in the area.
She told the Daily Record: "We walked 24 miles along the riverbanks and the marina. We are also checking along the boats to make sure he's not either on or in the water nearby.
"We have spoken to people and asked if they have seen him, some are lovely and some unfortunately are very evil.
"We are all emotionally and physically exhausted but we've got to keep going. We just don't know what to do anymore and we need answers.
"It just doesn't seem real. We haven't seen police on the water since Tuesday and haven't had any answers so we've called private investigators and we're in discussions with them about drone searches as well as if they can bring divers in."
He was onboard the party boat when he jumped into the river[/caption]
A body was pulled from the river yesterday[/caption]
More >> https://ift.tt/rxNRgd7 Source: MAG NEWS
