Two men drowned in a tragic sea rescue at Seaton Carew beach, Hartlepool, on Sunday, July 12, after attempting to save two children who got into difficulties in the water. The children survived, but the men lost their lives.
Eyewitness Account of the Tragedy
Keith Smith, 75, was on the seafront for the Tees Valley Wildlife Trust when the drama unfolded. He described a massive rescue operation involving RNLI lifeboats, police, and a helicopter. 'The helicopter was up, there were police, it was a major operation,' he said. 'There were hundreds watching from the beach front. But I later discovered that they had died and the two children survived. 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.'
Warnings About Undercurrents and Rip Tides
Civil servant Gareth Parker, 64, a former lifeguard on that stretch of water, warned that people are unaware of the dangers 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, added, 'We saw the ambulances go past and the helicopter in the air. We had to pull over to let them past. The local MP has said that they are going to try and get lifeguard cover extended. At the moment it is just in the school summer holidays.'
Police and Emergency Services Response
Cleveland Police confirmed that specially trained officers are supporting both families. Superintendent Glen Ward 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. We are conducting enquiries into the circumstances of what happened today, although the deaths are not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the Coroner. I would like to remind everyone that open water comes with serious risks. 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. Please take extra care and enjoy the warm weather as safely as possible.'
The North East Ambulance Service dispatched three ambulance crews, a clinical team leader, a duty officer, three crews from the Hazardous Area Response Team (HART), and requested support from the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) who attended by road. Two patients were taken to North Tees Hospital for further treatment.
Campaign for Water Safety
The deaths come amid the Mirror's Save Lives for Sam campaign, which calls for urgent action to make waters safer, including compulsory water safety lessons in schools, a nationwide public awareness campaign, better lifesaving equipment at high-risk waterways, the introduction of Sam's Law, and a dedicated Minister for Water Safety. The family of Matty Sherrington, a 14-year-old who drowned near Hartlepool's Steetley Pier on 15 July 2021, also warned about the dangers. His mother Amy said 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.'
