Police have confirmed that a woman in her 40s and a teenage girl have died at West Mersea beach in Essex after an incident on Wednesday evening. A third person remains in hospital in a serious condition.
Emergency response
Essex Police were called by the ambulance service at 5.35pm on Wednesday 22 July after reports that several people had got into difficulty in the water near Seaview Avenue. The West Mersea Coastguard Rescue Team also responded to the scene.
A police spokesperson said: "Despite the efforts of the emergency services, we can sadly confirm that a teenage girl and a woman in her 40s have died. A third person remains in hospital in a serious condition. Our thoughts are with the family and loved ones of those affected at this very difficult time."
Investigation ongoing
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 enquiries. 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."
At this stage, police believe those involved in the incident knew each other. Anyone with information or footage is asked to contact 101 and quote incident 1090.
