An eyewitness to an incident in which a teenage girl and a woman in her 40s died on West Mersea beach has described how she saw a group of people get into difficulty on a sandbank when the tide came in.
A huge emergency response descended on the beach near Seaview Avenue, in Essex, shortly after 5.30pm yesterday following reports that 'several people had got into difficulty in the water'.
Third person in hospital
In an update issued this morning (Thursday, 23 July), an Essex Police spokesperson confirmed that a third person remains in hospital in a serious condition and two other people are being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
All three people are believed to have been known to each other. Police added that their 'thoughts remain with the family members who are coming to terms with their loss'.
The tragedy took place close to Sea View Holiday Park, a popular camping spot for families.
Police appeal for witnesses
Detective Chief Inspector Al Pitcher said: "Today, our thoughts remain with the family members who are coming to terms with their loss. We are grateful to the people who have already spoken to us and helped with our inquiries."
"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."
Earlier today, police officers could be seen walking along the beach near the incident and speaking with members of the public.
Eyewitness accounts
Beach hut owner Beverly Smit said she heard the emergency response and went to see what was going on. "By that time they were re-sussing the person on the beach, the helicopters were still in the fields," said Ms Smit, who works for a local dentist.
She said that she spoke to a day tripper who had rented a neighbouring beach hut and had tried to help. "He saw and they were calling for help and the children and adults were out there," the 60-year-old added. "He swam out I think three times."
"Two of the children he brought back were not in good condition. It’s not an easy swim when the tide’s coming in, you’re swimming against the tide, the water yesterday was particularly quite cold."
The beach hut owner added that she and members of her rowing club have helped save people in the sea previously. Ms Smit described the incident as a "massive scale of rescue and tragedy really".
High tide warning
A woman, who did not give her name, said the incident at West Mersea happened at high tide. She told the Press Association: "The tide was a lot further in than it is now and that sandbank, they were on there and the tide came in."
"It comes in very quickly and you have to be careful," she added. The woman described the scene as "quite a commotion" and "just total panic".
Discussing the aftermath of the incident, she said there was a "helicopter coming in, the helicopter circling and sirens going everywhere".
The eyewitness added: "That was quite alarming, for a small place like this, I think that’s why so many people are shocked. I mean the beach was packed with people, they were coming down to see what was going on."
The woman said the emergency services "worked diligently" and described the incident as "absolutely tragic".
