POLICE divers searched the River Lea in East London for possible human remains after a motor-camper caravan was discovered submerged in a deep lick. The vehicle was dumped in the Old Ford Lock, near Hackney Wick, after being stolen in 2005, a police number plate check later confirmed

By Hannah Roberts

POLICE divers have searched the River Lea in East London for possible human remains after a motor-camper caravan was discovered submerged in a deep lick.

The vehicle was dumped in the Old Ford Lock, near Hackney Wick, after being stolen in 2005, a police number plate check later confirmed.

It was discovered last Friday by British Waterways engineers dredging the riverbed ready for transport barges delivering materials to the massive 2012 Olympics building site nearby. Hi-tech underwater cameras spotted the outline of the van which brought the dredging operations to a halt.

As many as 30 bodies have been found in the murky stretch of river between Bow Bridge and Hackney Wick since the 1970s, according to waterways officials. So police were taking no chances.

Police divers were brought in yesterday (Wednesday) from their Thames river HQ at Wapping to search the vehicle before it was hauled up—in case there were human remains inside.

But they found nothing and the vehicle was winched to the surface by crane and loaded onto a trailer on the quayside and taken away to British Waterways’ yard in Enfield.