Camden New Journal - News: Cops go to Polond in unt for Magda

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Camden New Journal - by ROISIN GADELRAB
Published: 19 April 2007

Magdalena Zajdel

Cops go to Poland in hunt for Magda

Detectives are investigating death of Big Issue seller

DETECTIVES are jetting off to Poland as part of an international manhunt for a key witness to the drowning of a Big Issue seller in Regent’s Park Canal last year.
The news follows a campaign in the Polish Press to find Magdalena Zajdel, 21, following the death of homeless father-of-two Patrick Linkavicius, 30, last September.
Officers are awaiting permission from the Polish authorities to visit Ms Zajdel’s family in the hope of extraditing her on a European arrest warrant.
She was seen with Mr Linkavicius prior to the tragedy but has since disappeared.
Although police are still treating the death as suspicious, a St Pancras inquest last week (Thursday) gave an open verdict.
Coroner Dr Andrew Reid said he was unable to tell if Mr Linkavicius, whose birth name in Lithuania was Petras, had slipped, tripped, jumped or was pushed.
A photograph of Ms Zajdel, has been widely circulated in the UK and Poland, where she is believed to have fled.
Mr Linkavicius had been drinking with acquaintances next to the canal at Hawley Lock before he drowned.
Coroner’s officer Alan Pearce: “The deceased was with others drinking on the canal bank when an altercation of some sort took place which resulted in the deceased believed to have been pushed into the canal.
“As a result of this and other actions at the scene the deceased went under the water and failed to surface. One of the group jumped in to find him, assisted by a passer-by. He was finally found and taken to the Royal Free hospital where he remained unconscious, dying the following morning.”
Detective Inspector Ian Foster, who is leading the investigation, said: “It’s vital we speak to Magda. We have spoken to some other street people who said there was an argument between these two beforehand. We think Patrick was a reasonable swimmer and the water is not more than five feet deep.
“There may be some logical explanation but we want people who saw anything or people who recognise this young lady to come forward.”
One friend, who described Mr Linkavicius as popular and smiling, said he could speak at least five languages and was a trained chef.

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