Police have confirmed the number of people killed in the London Bridge terror attacks has risen from seven to eight.
The toll includes two Australians, three people from France, one Canadian, one Spaniard and one British victim, illustrating the truly cosmopolitan nature of England’s capital city.
Ignacio Echeverria
The latest victim is understood to be Madrid banker Ignacio Echeverria, who was last seen lying on a pavement on Saturday after using a skateboard to protect a woman who was being attacked by one of the knife-wielding terrorists.
The 39-year-old, who lived in Poplar, east London, was returning from a skate park and was not thought to have been carrying ID on him at the time.
The delay on identifying his body drew strong criticism from Spanish Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido, who said: “Especially during a terrorist attack, the victims and their relatives have to be well taken care of.”
According to Spanish media, relatives were told of his death by Spanish ambassador Carlos Bastarreche after his family flew to London.
Isabel Duran wrote on Twitter: “Ignacio Echeverria attacked the terrorists to try to save a woman. He is in heaven with his inseparable skateboard.”
Xavier Thomas
The body of missing 45-year-old Xavier Thomas, who had not been seen since the London Bridge terror attacks on Saturday night, has been recovered from the Thames near Limehouse.
The Frenchman was walking south on the bridge with his girlfriend Christine Delcros when the van ploughed into pedestrians. It is believed he was struck and thrown into the river. Delcros remains seriously injured in hospital with a shattered pelvis.
Nanny Sara Zelenak, 21, from Brisbane, is one of two Australians who lost their lives in the attacks.
Zelenak’s mother Julie Wallace confirmed the news on Wednesday. Writing on Facebook, she said: “Sara Zelenak is confirmed dead, they found her body and DNA confirmed. Thank you for all the overwhelming love and support from everyone.”
A statement from her family said they were: “deeply saddened at the tragic loss of our beautiful daughter.”