Emergency teams in Manlleu, Barcelona, recovered the bodies of two 11-year-old twin brothers from the Ter River on Tuesday, concluding an intensive search that began late Monday night. The children had been reported missing by their parents after they failed to return home from a local football pitch, which typically closes at 9:00 PM. Authorities believe the boys decided to swim in the river before heading home, a decision that proved fatal as neither child was a strong swimmer.
The disappearance triggered a large-scale search operation led by the Mossos d'Esquadra, involving local police, drone units, and underwater rescue teams. On Tuesday morning, investigators discovered clothing along the riverbank that matched the description of the missing twins, focusing the search efforts on the water. Divers eventually located the first body at a depth of three meters around 1:00 PM, with the second body found approximately one hour later.
While the physical evidence and clothing strongly suggest the bodies are those of the missing brothers, official identification is pending forensic confirmation at the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences of Catalonia. The Mossos d'Esquadra have opened an investigation into the incident, though preliminary findings point to an accidental drowning. The tragedy has deeply affected the local community, prompting expressions of grief from regional leaders and highlighting the inherent dangers of unsupervised swimming in natural water sources.