A teenage girl and a woman in her 40s have died following a tragic incident at West Mersea beach in Essex, where several people got into difficulty in the water. The incident is believed to have occurred when a group walked out to a sandbank and became cut off from the shore.
Emergency services, including multiple ambulances, police cars, a fire engine, a lifeboat, two air ambulances, and a coastguard helicopter, were dispatched to the scene on Wednesday. A coastguard truck remained on the beach into the night, near an area that had been cordoned off.
Witnesses reported hearing helicopters overhead and seeing emergency services working on casualties on the beach. Some accounts suggest the incident involved an Asian family, where children got into difficulty, prompting adults to enter the water to help, subsequently encountering trouble themselves. Other beachgoers reportedly went into the water in an attempt to assist.
The area is known for its strong currents, which can pose a hazard to swimmers. Police asked the public to avoid the Seaview Avenue and beach area while the incident was ongoing.
The West Mersea Coastguard Rescue Team stated on Facebook, "We have responded to a tragic incident on West Mersea beach. Our thoughts are with the family involved." The beach reopened to the public on Thursday morning.
The RNLI confirmed its West Mersea lifeboat was launched, and a lifeboat from Clacton was also deployed. The East Anglian Air Ambulance also sent a helicopter to the scene. Authorities have not released further details regarding the exact nature of the incident at this stage.