Body found in search for boy who jumped from ferry over New Year bet

Police searching for a teenager who has been missing since he jumped from a ferry on New Year's Eve have recovered a body.

An extensive search was made for Jordan Cobb, 16, from Plymouth after he jumped from the ferry into the River Tamar.

The teenager was making his way from Plymouth with a group of friends to a party in Torpoint, Cornwall, and it is thought he may have leapt overboard because of a £100 bet.

Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed a body was recovered from the River Tamar shortly after 5pm yesterday.

Jordan's family have been informed of the find, though no formal identification has taken place.

A member of the public contacted the Ministry of Defence Police shortly before 5pm saying they had seen a body in the water.

An MoD launch was sent to an area on the Torpoint side of the river, close to where the ferry docks, and the body was recovered.

A police spokesman said yesterday: "At just before 5pm, police received a report of a body in the Tamar River on the Torpoint side of ferry.

"A Ministry of Defence Police launch, together with Coastguards, searched the river and at around 5.15pm a body was recovered.

"Police will now make inquires to establish the identity of the body.

"The family of Jordan Cobb, who went missing on New Year's eve, have been kept fully informed of events."

Jordan, a pupil at Stoke Dameral Community College, was last seen on New Year's Eve on the Torpoint Ferry with friends from Plymouth in Devon to Torpoint in Cornwall.

But the alarm was raised shortly after 9pm when he jumped into the icy water and disappeared beneath the surface of the River Tamar.

Hundreds of emergency services personnel, with Jordan's friends and family scoured the river, coves and shoreline for the teenager following the incident.

Police, the MoD, specialist divers, helicopters and the Dartmoor Search and Rescue were among those involved.

Officers said that one line of investigation was whether Jordan may have jumped into the water over a £100 bet.

Det Insp Nick West said they understood Jordan had given his bag to a friend before jumping from the front of the ferry.

"There is information in the public domain that suggests this is all a prank, that someone within Jordan's group has engaged with them in relation to a bet," he said.

"We do understand that the figure of about £100 has been discussed, but that hasn't been confirmed. That's one line of inquiry that we're keeping an open mind on."

Jordan's parents and two brothers were said to be "distressed and distraught" as they try to come to terms with the schoolboy's disappearance.

PA