Inquest opens into death of tragic schoolboy who drowned in Rotherham canal

Scene picture in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, where an 11 year old boy has drowned in a canal. Pic: Glen Minikin

The inquest at Doncaster Coroners' Court was told that Subhaan Ali was pronounced dead at 10.45pm on Thursday night, after being pulled from the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation Canal near Retail World, Parkgate.

Speaking during the opening of the inquest, Senior Doncaster Coroner, Nicola Mundy, said: "Subhaan was believed to have been playing with children of a similar age near to the canal when he got into trouble.

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* ‘The best little lad you could ever meet’ - Emotional tributes to canal drowning victim, 11* Plea to prevent repeat of Rotherham canal tragedy after boy’s death"Subaan was recovered from the canal, and there has been a number of inquiries made, and a number of witnesses spoken to about the circumstances surrounding his death."

The alarm was raised when Subhaan of Edon Road, Eastwood, Rotherham disappeared under the water and failed to re-emerge.

Police and fire service water rescue specialists spent four hours searching the canal before Subhaan's lifeless body was found.

The youngster had just broken up from Sitwell Junior School for the summer and was due to start at Clifton Community School in September.

Dozens of frantic friends and relatives raced to the canal when news of Subhaan's disappearance broke.

Coroners' officer, Sarah Granger, confirmed that the officer in charge of the investigation, Det Insp Graham Stead, had released Subaan's body to his family, who are now in the process of arranging his funeral.

No-one from Subaan's family was present at the opening of the inquest, which has now been adjourned until later in the year in order to allow for further reports to be made.