Emergency services called to ‘tragic incident’ off Essex coast

A girl and a woman in her 40s died after they got into trouble in the water off the coast of Essex, police said.

One person was also taken to hospital in a “serious condition” following the incident near Seaview Avenue in West Mersea, Colchester, on Wednesday evening. Police said they believe those involved knew each other.

West Mersea Coastguard Rescue Team said on Facebook early on Thursday they had been called to a “tragic incident” on the beach.

“We responded to a tragic incident on West Mersea Beach. Our thoughts are with the family involved,” the post said, adding that they would not comment further.

Pictures show a large emergency service presence at West Mersea beach in Essex on Wednesday evening, with a cordon still in place on Thursday morning.

Detective Chief Inspector Al Pitcher said: “Our thoughts today remain with the family members as they come to terms with their loss.

“We are grateful to those who spoke to us and assisted with our questions. We would ask anyone who was on the beach at the time and has not yet spoken to officers to please get in touch and help us understand what happened.

“At this stage of our investigations, we believe those involved in the incident knew each other. Anyone who was in the area at the time and has information or footage that could assist our investigation is asked to contact us on 101 and quote incident number 1090.”

Local MP Sir Bernard Jenkin told the BBC he was “saddened and very shocked” about the incident.

“We do not consider West Mersea Beach to be a dangerous beach,” he said.

“I mean, there are tidal currents, but there are thousands of people using it this time of year and overall it feels like a very safe place.”

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