A father and a dog walker have died after a riptide swept them out to sea at Seaton Carew beach in Hartlepool. The father had entered the water to rescue his children during a family day out on Sunday, July 12, 2026.
Eyewitness Account of the Incident
Davey Short, 48, from Bishop Auckland, witnessed the tragedy and described it as "the worst thing I've seen." He said: "There were three children at the beach with mam and dad, a boy aged 15, a boy aged 11 or 12, and a younger girl. The two younger kids were in the sea and they started to struggle."
Mr Short explained that the father went in to rescue his children but was swept away. A second man, who had been walking his dog with his partner, also entered the water and drowned. All three children were eventually rescued, but the two men lost their lives.
Emergency Response
Cleveland Police and RNLI lifeboats responded to the incident. The North East Ambulance Service received a call at 3:45 pm and dispatched resources, including support from the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS). Two patients were taken to hospital. Police are supporting the grieving families and continuing enquiries on behalf of the Coroner.
Community Reaction
Mr Short, a father himself, said: "I felt for those children and for their mum, they saw it all happened and it's something that will never leave any of us. I didn't sleep a wink last night. Every time I closed my eyes I could see the man in the water." He added: "They were just a nice, normal family having a day out at the beach on a lovely hot day and this happened out of the blue."
The incident highlights the dangers of riptides at North East beaches. Mr Short urged others to be cautious: "It shows how dangerous the tides can be." He also expressed sympathy for the partner of the dog walker who died.
