A teenage girl and her mother have died after getting into difficulty in the water at West Mersea beach in Essex, with a family friend saying they were trying to save a cousin
A teenage girl tragically lost her life attempting to rescue her seven-year-old cousin who “got into trouble,” a family friend has revealed.
Mishba Uddin disclosed that the 15-year-old girl and her mother, who also sadly passed away, “were not very good swimmers” and were simply enjoying a “day out” at the beach in West Mersea, Essex. They have been named locally as Shelina Rahman, a British-Bangladeshi teacher in her 40s, and her daughter Sameeha Rahman.
Mrs Rahman’s husband is Dr Monsur Rahman, the leader of Jubo Dal UK, the overseas youth wing of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party in Britain, according to family members and party officials. Mujibur Rahman, Shelina’s father and Sameeha’s grandfather, disclosed that a seven-year-old relative is currently on life support in a London hospital following the incident.
Essex Police reported that officers were alerted by the ambulance service at 5.35pm on Wednesday following reports that several individuals had found themselves in difficulty in the water near Seaview Avenue.
The force confirmed on Thursday morning that a teenage girl and a woman in her 40s had died, while a third person is in a serious condition and two others are receiving treatment for non-life-threatening injuries in hospital, police said.
The East of England Ambulance Service said one patient was airlifted to hospital and an additional three patients were transported by road to hospital after the incident in the water at Sea View Holiday Park.
Family friend Mr Uddin, of Colchester, visited the scene on Thursday and told reporters the families involved in the incident had come down for the day from east London and Barking.
He revealed that the child in critical condition was a seven year old girl, and was the cousin of the deceased child.
He said he heard that “the little one got into trouble then the other one tried to save” her.
He further stated that the family were “just a working class family going for a day out”.
“We as a whole community are in shock actually,” Mr Uddin expressed.
He mentioned that the father is a doctor of Bangladeshi heritage, but he “only knows the grandfather very well”.
“They are a very nice and likeable family,” Mr Uddin added.
Beach hut owner Beverly Smit, 60, from West Mersea in Essex, revealed she heard the emergency response and went to investigate.
“By that time they were re-sussing the person on the beach, the helicopters were still in the fields,” Ms Smit, who works for a local dentist, said.
She recounted speaking to a day tripper who had rented a neighbouring beach hut and had attempted to assist.
“He saw and they were calling for help and the children and adults were out there,” she said. “He swam out I think three times.
“Two of the children he brought back were not in good condition.
“It’s not an easy swim when the tide’s coming in, you’re swimming against the tide, the water yesterday was particularly quite cold.”
The beach hut owner also noted that she and members of her rowing club have previously helped rescue people at sea.
Ms Smit characterised the incident as a “massive scale of rescue and tragedy really”.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged to support local authorities in the wake of the deaths.
Mr Burnham told ITV Anglia he was “so sad to hear the news” but conceded he did not have the specifics of the case.
He further commented: “It does bring over, sometimes, the dangers of open water swimming at this time of the year.
“I just would ask people to consider that.
“But thank you to the emergency services who stepped in and of course, you know, we will work to support the local authorities as we get to the bottom of this.”
A woman, who chose to remain anonymous, stated that the incident at West Mersea occurred at high tide.
She informed the Press Association: “The tide was a lot further in than it is now and that sandbank, they were on there and the tide came in.
“It comes in very quickly and you have to be careful.”
An employee at a nearby eatery, who also wished to stay unnamed, mentioned that some of their teenage staff had attempted to assist.
Carl Powling, a councillor for Colchester Council, revealed his daughter is one of three teenage waitresses at a local cafe who tried to help.
He told the Press Association: “Three teenage girls, the waitresses in there, actually came out.
“One of them was on the phone directing the police where to come, the other two were on the beach assisting with the first aid, keeping people away from filming it as well.
“Very level-headed, absolutely amazing for that age group.”
He said they assisted until the coastguard arrived and there was a “phenomenal speed” of response.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledged to back local authorities and stated the incident underscored the risks of swimming in open water.
Mr Burnham told ITV Anglia he was “so sad to hear the news” and added: “Thank you to the emergency services who stepped in and of course, you know, we will work to support the local authorities as we get to the bottom of this.”
Emergency services had urged people to avoid part of the beach in Essex after what the coastguard rescue team described as a “tragic incident”.
The West Mersea Coastguard Rescue Team said: “Our thoughts are with the family involved.”
Detective Chief Inspector Al Pitcher said: “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.”
A spokesperson for East of England Ambulance Service revealed it deployed multiple resources including a Hazardous Area Response Team, critical care paramedics and two air ambulances to the location.
Anyone who was present in the vicinity at the time and possesses information or footage which may help the police investigation is urged to contact them on 101 and quote incident 1090.
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