Northumbria Police recovered a body from the River Tyne close to Wylam Bridge during the search for liam potts, a 22-year-old soldier with the Coldstream Guards. Police said his next of kin had been told and were being supported by officers.
Det Ch Insp Sarah Robson said: "This is an extremely sad development and our thoughts are very much with Liam's family and friends." She added: "We would continue to ask that people respect the family's privacy at this tragic time."
Wylam Bridge search update
Potts was last seen heading towards Wylam in Northumberland from Wylam Bridge at about 00:20 BST on Saturday. Northumbria Police's Marine Unit later recovered the body close to the bridge, turning a missing-person search into a recovery operation.
Police also said a report had been received of a disturbance at a nearby premises and a subsequent crash on the bridge involving a vehicle and a group of pedestrians. A man and woman, both in their 20s, were seriously injured in that crash, while officers said Potts was on the bridge at the time but was not in the vehicle and was not believed to have been injured.
Northumbria Police inquiry
Formal identification had not yet taken place when police announced the recovery. That means the body had been found, but the legal identification process had still to run its course before police could say it was Potts.
Officers did not believe there to be any third-party involvement, and a report will be prepared for the coroner. Two men aged 22 and 23 were arrested in connection with the report and were bailed pending further inquiries.
For Potts' family, the immediate step is the coroner's review after identification work is completed. For anyone following the search, the point now is that police have shifted from looking for a missing soldier to handling a recovery that still has to be formally identified.
