Emergency services have called off the desperate search for a teenage girl after a tragic incident on the East Yorkshire coast that claimed the lives of her mother and a heroic stranger.
A Fatal Struggle in the Sea
Sarah Keeling, 45, and her 15-year-old daughter Grace got into difficulty in the water off Withernsea on Friday. It is understood they had been wave-watching when they were swept away by what has been described as a rogue wave.
In a desperate and selfless act, Mark Ratcliffe entered the sea in an attempt to rescue them. Tragically, he also lost his life during the rescue attempt.
Desperate Rescue Efforts in Harsh Conditions
A major multi-agency search and rescue operation was immediately launched, involving Hornsea Inshore Rescue, the RNLI, and HM Coastguard. Rescuers faced extremely challenging conditions that hampered their efforts from the outset.
In a statement on Facebook, a Hornsea Inshore Rescue spokesperson detailed the difficulties. "An assessment was made of the launch conditions and, due to extremely large breaking waves on the launch ramp, we couldn’t launch immediately," they said. A casualty care crew was first sent to the scene.
Eventually, a crew of four managed to launch the lifeboat in what were still "extremely difficult, demanding sea conditions". They conducted numerous search patterns alongside other assets until the operation was stood down on Saturday afternoon.
Search Called Off and Tributes Paid
HM Coastguard continued the search on Saturday morning, but the extensive efforts were officially called off at 4pm that day. The rescue attempt will not be resumed.
The rescue teams paid tribute to all those affected. "We'd like to send our thoughts and love to all involved in such a tragic incident, to all the friends and families of Mark, Sarah and Grace at this very sad time, you are all in our thoughts," the Hornsea Inshore Rescue statement concluded.
The family of Mark Ratcliffe issued a heartbreaking tribute, describing him as "a true selfless hero with a heart of gold, who was so cruelly taken trying to save others". They added: "So many lives are now shattered that you're gone. You were loved by so many people, and we will all miss you forever."
The community of Withernsea and the wider region are now mourning the loss of three lives in this devastating coastal tragedy.
