A MAN in his 20s has died after entering a canal while being pursued by police during Notting Hill Carnival.
Cops tried to stop the man at 3.19pm on Monday as he approached the carnival area in west London.
The man fled on foot and went into the canal near Meanwhile Gardens, according to the Metropolitan Police.
Officers and members of the public frantically sprung into action and managed to pull him from the water.
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CPR was carried out and he was rushed to a central London hospital.
Despite the very best efforts of all involved, he was pronounced dead a short time later just before 4.45pm.
Urgent enquiries are now ongoing to locate and inform his next of kin.
Cops said the incident would be referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) for investigation.
Commander Claire Smart said: “This is a tragic incident and our thoughts are with the loved ones of the man who has lost his life.
“Any death following contact with the police is passed to the Independent Office for Police Conduct so the circumstances can be fully investigated. I would encourage everyone to avoid speculation while this work takes place.
“I acknowledge the efforts of the officers and members of the public who entered the canal to rescue this man.
“I know they will be devastated that his life couldn’t ultimately be saved.”
Cops arrested 351 people on Notting Hill Carnival’s final day as the party came to a close on Monday after millions flocked to the streets.
The arrests were related to several offences including possession of a handgun and sexual offender licence breaches.
This brings the total number of arrests over the celebration to 560.
But while officers responded to a number of incidents, they said “the mood has been overwhelmingly positive and celebratory”.
The annual west London carnival is Europe’s biggest street party and billed by organisers as “the greatest community-led event on the planet”.
The carnival includes parades, live music, street food and sound stages and is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.
Commander Smart of the Met Police said: “This is the second year now that we have seen a marked difference in the prevalence of serious violence at carnival.
“This is the result of not just proactive policing and a determined effort to target our efforts on those posing the greatest risk of harm, but of a collaborative partnership approach to the delivery of the whole event.
“The progress by Notting Hill Carnival Ltd in stepping into so many of the event management and crowd safety roles previously performed by the police cannot be understated.
“They have delivered a challenging event well and in doing so have allowed us to focus our resources on our core role of tackling crime.”
