Boy feared drowned on holiday named

The Foreign Office issued a statement on behalf of the 16-year-old’s family.

It said: “On Wednesday, while holidaying with his family on the Atlantic coast, Kieran Knight, aged 16, got caught by a strong undercurrent and was unable to make his way back to shore.

“Despite extensive searches by the French authorities, Kieran has not been located. Kieran’s family would like to request privacy at this time.”

French officials said earlier this week that rescue workers were alerted to the boy’s disappearance near the town of Messanges, in the Landes region, on Wednesday afternoon.

It is understood that Kieran was swimming with his father when they found themselves in difficulty. While the father was able to reach shore, Kieran disappeared.