Updated at 11pm
THE FAMILY OF a Spanish man who used his skateboard to try to defend woman from one of the assailants during the London attack have confirmed that he had died, ending an excruciating four-day wait.
“Ignacio didn’t survive the attacks,” Ignacio Echeverria’s sister Ana wrote on her Facebook page.
“My brother Ignacio tried to stop terrorists and lost his life trying to save others. Igna we love you and will never forget you,” his other sister Isabel wrote on Facebook.
Friends of Echeverria, who lived in London, were quoted in Spanish media as saying that they were walking in the area when they saw what they thought was an ordinary fight.
On closer look, it appeared that a man was beating a woman.
Echeverria rushed over to help and tried to defend her with a skateboard he had with him, prompting British media to dub him the “skateboard hero”.
Spain has criticised the sluggish pace of the British victim identification process, which led to an excruciating wait for Echeverria’s two sisters, two brothers and parents.
Earlier, police confirmed that French national Sebastien Belanger was another victim of the London Bridge terror attack to be identified.
The French national has been identified as one of the eight people who were killed during the incident.
The 36-year-old was living and working in the capital.
Met Police have said that a specially trained family liaison officers are supporting his family.
Two Australians
The family of Australian national Sara Zelenak, aged 21, who died during Saturday’s terror attack on London Bridge, have paid tribute to her.
Metropolitan Police detectives confirmed her identity earlier today.
“We are deeply saddened at the tragic loss of our beautiful daughter and sister of Harrison and Scott,” the family statement read.
“We would like to thank our friends and family who are helping up through this very difficult time.”
Earlier today, London police who have been searching for the body of a French national missing since Saturday’s terror attack recovered a body from the river Thames.
Detectives were appealing for information about Xavier Thomas, aged 45, a French national who had not been seen since the night of the terrorist attack on London Bridge.
Last night at around 7.45pm, the body of a man was recovered from the river, near Limehouse, by specialist officers from the Marine Police Unit.
Formal identification has not yet taken place, however Thomas’ next of kin have been informed of this development.
This discovery has risen the death toll of the attack to eight.
Australian staff nurse Kirsty Boden, 28, was killed as she ran to try to help the wounded in the attack on London Bridge, her family said in a statement.
“She was the most outgoing, kind and generous person,” her family said.
“We are so proud of Kirsty’s brave actions which demonstrate how selfless, caring and heroic she was.”
Sara Zelenak was the second Australian killed during the attack.
Christine Archibald, a 30-year-old Canadian, died in her fiance Tyler Ferguson’s arms after the attackers’ van mowed her down on London Bridge.
“My baby brother lost the love of his life,” Cassie Ferguson Rowe wrote on Facebook.
In a split second his entire life was ripped away from him. Hearing his painful sobs on the phone while he’s alone trying to deal with this tears me apart.
Her family said in a statement that she worked in a homeless shelter before moving to Europe to be with her fiance.
“She would have had no understanding of the callous cruelty that caused her death,” they said.
Frenchman Alexandre Pigeard, 26, was working as a waiter at Boro Bistro in Borough Market, when he was stabbed.
His father Philippe Pigeard said his son’s death was “an incredible injustice”.
He was a “wonderful son, a perfect big brother,” a “shining young man,” Pigeard told AFP.
Identified by bank card
James McMullan, a 32-year-old from Hackney, east London, was identified by a bank card found on his body, according to his sister.
He had been out with friends and had stepped outside for a smoke at a pub next to where the attackers crashed their van.
“While our pain will never diminish, it is important for us all to carry on with our lives in direct opposition to those who wish to destroy us and remember that hatred is the refuge of small-minded individuals,” Melissa McMullan told Sky News.
Off-duty police officers and a business editor were also among the 48 people who were injured in the attack.
With reporting from Hayley Halpin, Gráinne Ní Aodha, Órla Ryan, Cliódhna Russell and Cormac Fitzgerald.
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