Barnet student Matthew Kalyango's death in Manchester river prompts inquest

A 22-year-old aerospace engineering student from Burnt Oak has died after leaving an Uber during his sister’s graduation celebrations in Manchester. Matthew Buckwell Kalyango was found in the River Churwell on 22 July 2026, hours after running from the vehicle near Spinningfields.

Kalyango’s family described him as calm and inquisitive, with no known history of distress before the incident. His father, Moses Bakaluba, told MyLondon that Kalyango became agitated during the Uber ride and fled the car. His mother and sister attempted to follow but lost sight of him in the dark.

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The coroner has not yet determined a cause of death, though Kalyango’s body has been released for burial. His sister, Ana Kisaakye, launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral expenses, which has raised £4,000 of a £13,000 target as of 30 July 2026.

Bakaluba said the family had no funeral plan in place. He told MyLondon: "We give birth to children because we love them and we do the best we can. We did not plan for this boy to die." He added that there were no signs of conflict during the graduation dinner, and no indication that Kalyango’s drink had been tampered with.

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He was a beautiful soul whose kindness, humility, and love touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.

Ana Kisaakye, Kalyango’s sister

Kalyango moved to Nuneaton with his family five years ago before starting his master’s degree at the University of Leeds. He had recently completed a placement year with an engineering firm in Bracknell. On LinkedIn last year, he wrote that he looked forward to learning from industry leaders and working on real-world projects.

Inquest scheduled for 13 August

Greater Manchester Police and North West Ambulance Service have not responded to requests for comment. The inquest into Kalyango’s death will take place at 9:30 am on Thursday 13 August 2026 at Manchester City Coroner’s Court. The hearing is expected to provide further details about the circumstances of his death.

Residents in Burnt Oak who wish to contribute to the funeral fund can do so via the GoFundMe page set up by Kisaakye. The campaign remains open until the £13,000 target is met.