A family outing at Shoreham beach ended in devastation after three people died and a fourth was left critically ill, with witnesses claiming the incident began when a young girl became trapped in a fishing net.
Fishermen said they spotted four people in difficulty in the sea at Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, at around 3pm yesterday, as rough and choppy conditions made the water increasingly dangerous.
Police have confirmed that a man, a woman and a teenage girl died following the Shoreham beach tragedy, while a younger girl remains in a critical condition. It is understood the four victims were members of the same family and had been camping nearby.
According to eyewitness accounts, one of the children was swimming when she became caught up in a fishing net, triggering the desperate rescue effort.
Joe Chrisp, 24, said a local fisherman described seeing “two adults and two kids” caught up in the emergency.
He added that “one of the kids apparently got caught in a fishing net.”
Emergency crews, including ambulances, two helicopters and coastguard teams, raced to the scene on Tuesday afternoon after reports came in that four people were struggling in the water.
A fisherman is believed to have managed to pull one of the children from the sea before alerting the emergency services.
Three members of the same family died after getting into difficulty in the water at Shoreham-by-Sea yesterday afternoon
Floral tributes and a lantern left at the scene after the tragedy yesterday
Police and ambulances rushed to the scene in West Sussex shortly after 3pm
Two air ambulances were seen landing on the shore after the incident
Witnesses said that fishermen first reported that four people had got into difficulty in the water
Locals said the family had been camping on the harbour front for the past few weeks before tragedy struck.
The names of those who died are yet to be released. The family is understood to have relatives who live abroad.
Andy Burnham today sent his ‘best wishes and love’ to the relatives and friends of the girl fighting for her life – and reminded people of the ‘dangers of open water swimming’.
Asked during a visit to the North East if the Government needed to do more to tackle water safety, the Prime Minister replied: ‘Always. It’s so sad to hear what happened yesterday, and obviously we think there’s a young girl still in the hospital fighting for her life, and we send our best wishes and love to wider friends and family.
‘The thing I can say today, and there is still, I think, a further heatwave to come in this summer period, is just to remind people about the dangers of open water swimming.
‘The coldness, even when it feels hot outside, can shock people, and that can cause the difficulties. So people just need to remember that at all times.’
Mr Burnham added: ‘I do need to praise the emergency services, who I know were on scene very quickly yesterday. They’ve had a busy summer, but they were there, and we thank them. As I say, just huge sympathy to the friends and the family.’
Chief Superintendent James Collis confirmed at a press conference last night that the coastguard is not searching for anyone else.
Sussex Police said: ‘Tragically, despite the best efforts of paramedics, three people, a man, a woman, and a teenage girl, were sadly confirmed deceased.
‘A younger girl has been taken to hospital and is in critical condition. We can confirm, all four people were from the same family, and their next of kin have been informed.
‘Specialist officers are supporting them at this incredibly difficult time, and our thoughts are with their family and friends.’
An investigation has been launched to understand the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
‘At this point, we believe all four entered the water from the land for a swim, and sadly, got into difficulty,’ the force added.
Pictures from the Shoreham seaside showed a huge emergency service response to the incident as eight ambulances parked on the shore beside helicopters.
They remained at the scene, around a 20-minute drive from Brighton, for hours after their 3pm arrival. A police cordon was eventually removed shortly before 9pm.
Road closures had been put in place nearby with the A259 Brighton Road, which runs alongside the beach, blocked in both directions from New Road to Kingston Lane.
A resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said: ‘I heard from friends in the Coastguard that it was a family who had been living in tents by the harbour front.
‘They were camping just between the harbour arm and the fort. They have been there a couple weeks, I’ve walked my dog past them. People don’t usually camp there.’
Police were seen searching a car nearby
Chief Superintendent James Collis said the family had entered the water for a swim
Joss Loader, who lives nearby and represents Shoreham Beach Residents’ Association on Adur District Council, said: ‘There’s just a really strong sense of shock, obviously people are really concerned for the young girl.
‘A small tightly knight community with a very deep sense of shock and that sense of disbelief you get after a tragedy because it has come out of nowhere.
‘It’s school holidays and we have had a wonderful summer so the beaches have been packed with families.
‘People swim from those beaches even in the winter, generally it is considered as safe as the sea can be. You wouldn’t be swimming there and think you were taking a risk.’
Anna Peacock, 81, who lives near Kingston Beach across the water from Shoreham Fort, said emergency services were on the scene very quickly.
‘It was terribly sad to know that just across the road people have lost their lives,’ she said. ‘People come down to swim, particularly in the summertime and I don’t think they realise there’s a riptide along here.’
Gary and Victoria Flint took their children to the beach for the day. Victoria, from Horsham, said: ‘We arrived at about three and soon after we heard the siren for the lifeboat.
‘We watched it launch then about 20 minutes later, it came back. Ambulances started arriving – more and more of them – then the air ambulances started.’
Another witness told ITV News: ‘I was up near the Coastguard tower when I saw two police officers come past me holding evidence bags after they looked to be going through belongings of, presumably, those who were involved in the incident.’
Alan Facer, 41, a fisherman from Hove, said the water would have been rough when the family got into trouble.
He said: ‘The wind earlier was south-westerly so usually the waves pick up quite a bit. At 3pm, the tide would have been quite high.’
MP for East Worthing and Shoreham Tom Rutland meanwhile described the incident as a ‘tragedy’, adding: ‘I am deeply saddened by the tragic news that three people have died following an incident in the water near Shoreham Fort this afternoon.
‘I spoke earlier with Sussex Police and Shoreham RNLI and have been briefed on the response by the emergency services.
‘My thoughts are with the family and friends of those who have lost their lives, and I know the whole community here in Shoreham will be hoping and praying for the recovery of the young girl receiving medical treatment in hospital.’
A spokesman from the RNLI said lifeboat crews were launched at around 2.50pm yesterday afternoon.
Two other lifeboats were also launched from the Brighton lifeboat station shortly after 3pm.
The coastguard, meanwhile, said ‘it responded to an incident reported at Shoreham at about 2.45pm’.
They added: ‘An HM Coastguard helicopter was sent as well as Littlehampton, Shoreham and Newhaven Coastguard Rescue Teams, and an RNLI lifeboat from Shoreham.’
