Two men drowned at Seaton Carew beach in Hartlepool after entering the water to rescue children who had gotten into difficulty. The children survived. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, July 12, prompted a major emergency response involving Cleveland Police, RNLI lifeboats, and air support.
Eyewitness Accounts of the Tragedy
Keith Smith, 75, who was on the seafront, described the scene: "The helicopter was up, there were police, it was a major operation. There were hundreds watching from the beach front. But I later discovered that they had died and the two children survived." He added: "It shows the dangers of going into the water. They survived and the two men lost their lives trying to save them. It was an awful tragedy, a terrible afternoon."
Gareth Parker, 64, a former lifeguard who worked on that exact stretch of water, expressed concern about public awareness of undercurrents and rip tides. "There are warning signs that go up but unfortunately people ignore the dangers. It was a terrible loss of life," he said. His wife Debra, 60, noted the emergency response: "We saw the ambulances go past and the helicopter in the air. We had to pull over to let them past."
Emergency Services Response
The North East Ambulance Service received a call at 3:45 pm on July 12. They dispatched three ambulance crews, a clinical team leader, a duty officer, three Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) crews, and requested support from the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS), which attended by road. Two patients were taken to North Tees Hospital for further treatment.
Superintendent Glen Ward of Cleveland Police said: "Our deepest sympathies go out to the families of both the men involved in this tragic incident. Despite the best efforts of emergency services, sadly both men were pronounced dead a short time after being brought out of the sea." He confirmed the deaths are not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the Coroner.
Water Safety Warnings
Superintendent Ward urged the public to avoid open water: "We know it is inviting in the hot weather, but we would encourage people to refrain from entering any open water at all. Today we have sadly seen the true tragedy that can happen as a result, so please take extra care and enjoy the warm weather as safely as possible."
Amy Waites, mother of 14-year-old Matty Sherrington who drowned near Hartlepool's Steetley Pier in July 2021, issued a warning on Facebook: "My heart goes out to the two men that sadly lost their lives yesterday at Seaton Carew. It made me feel physically sick and brought back so many horrendous memories. Please don't ever think ANY kind of water is safe."
Support for Families
The families of the deceased men are being supported by specially-trained police officers. It is unclear if the men knew the children they rescued. The local MP has indicated efforts to extend lifeguard cover beyond the school summer holidays.
