SerpApi.Org
A mother and her 15-year-old daughter have drowned off an Essex beach after going into the water to save a six-year-old girl who had been swept out by the tide.
The family were spending the day at West Mersea beach near Colchester when the tragedy unfolded shortly before 5.30pm on Wednesday, according to the Daily Mail.
They had been sitting close to the shoreline as the tide came in when the young girl was caught by the currents.
Both the woman and her teenage daughter went in after her and got into difficulty themselves.
A third person remains in hospital in a serious condition, while two others are being treated for injuries that are not thought to be life-threatening. Neither of those who died has been named.
The scale of the emergency response reflected the gravity of what was happening in the water.
At least six ambulances, roughly a dozen police vehicles, a fire engine, a lifeboat, two air ambulances and a coastguard helicopter were sent to the beach. One air ambulance is reported to have landed on the green beside the holiday park, with the coastguard helicopter setting down on the sand.
A caravan owner at the site described the moment people realised something was badly wrong.
‘The first we knew something was wrong was when we heard a helicopter overhead,’ he told the Daily Mail. ‘People were shouting, “Come on you can do it.”‘
The East of England Ambulance Service said it sent multiple crews, including its hazardous area response team and critical care paramedics.
‘Sadly, despite best efforts, two patients could not be resuscitated,’ a spokesman said. ‘One patient was transported by air to hospital, and a further three patients were transported by road to hospital.’
The stretch of coast is known locally for strong currents that can catch swimmers off guard.
Essex Police have appealed for anyone who was on the beach to come forward.
Detective Chief Inspector Al Pitcher said: ‘Today, our thoughts remain with the family members who are coming to terms with their loss. We would ask anyone who was at the beach at the time, and who has not yet spoken with officers, to please get in touch, to help us understand what happened.’
West Mersea Coastguard Rescue Team said its thoughts were with the family involved.
