Mother and passer-by drown attempting to avoid wasting woman swept out to sea on Yorkshire coast as Arctic blast grips UK
A mother and a passer–by died trying to rescue a teenage girl who was swept away by stormy seas while watching waves crash onto a beach.
Two bodies were pulled from the freezing water at Withernsea, Yorkshire, after Friday’s tragedy. Searches for the girl continued yesterday but were called off.
Witnesses said the girl, aged about 15, was caught by a massive wave on steps near the seaside resort’s Pier Towers before being overwhelmed by rough seas.
It is believed her mother and uncle jumped into the sea to try to reach her before getting into difficulty themselves. The uncle is believed to have survived.
But a 67–year–old Good Samaritan who joined the rescue bid was swept away.
He was recovered from the water unconscious shortly before 10pm and died soon after, Humberside Police said.
Cafe owner Paul Whitehead, 60, told how his staff had tried to help by throwing a life ring to the girl.
The area had been cordoned off while emergency services launched their search operation
Emergency services were called to Withernsea following a ‘number of people in difficulty in the water’ on Friday afternoon
The HM Coastguard helicopter hovers above the sea as part of the rescue operation. It called off the search for a third missing person on Saturday afternoon
HM Coastguard, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, Humberside Police, and Humberside Fire and Rescue all scrambled crews to Withernsea at around 3.15pm on Friday to try and rescue those in the freezing sea
Mr Whitehead said: ‘This was a tragic accident. The girl was enjoying the spectacle of the waves, but the sea was so rough she got swept away by the force of the water.
‘One of my staff tried to help her with a life ring. The girl grabbed the ring, but the sea was so rough she couldn’t hold on.’
Humberside Police confirmed that two bodies were pulled from the water. They called off their search for the girl last night after being hampered by blizzards and sub–zero temperatures.
The tragedy came hours after a 51–year–old from Kettering died after getting into difficulty in the sea at Brighton on New Year’s Day.
Meanwhile, motorists were being urged to plan ahead as snow and ice brought disruption to roads and rail services across the country.
The Met Office warned that snow could see some rural communities cut off, and there was a risk of power cuts.
Much of Wales was facing a yellow ice warning, while both the South West and the east coast of England were due to see heavy snow showers in the coming days.
Humberside Police confirmed that two bodies were pulled from the water
A person walks down the snow covered sea front in Scarborough in Yorkshire
A man clears snow from his car in Lythe, North Yorkshire, amid freezing conditions
A mother and her daugther went sledging in Whitby, Yorkshire, after the snowfall
People enjoying the snow near Hannahstown, Co Antrim
Arctic air has plunged much of the UK into sub–zero temperatures.
The Met Office predicted overnight temperatures in London tomorrow could plunge to –5C.
Met Office chief meteorologist Rebekah Hicks said: ‘Arctic air and brisk northerly winds are gripping the UK as we start the new year.
‘Bitterly cold conditions will persist through the weekend and into next week, with daytime temperatures struggling to rise above freezing for some, and overnight lows dipping to minus double figures in places.’
