Two men die after going into sea to save two children at UK beach
Two men have died after diving into the water at Seaton Carew beach in Hartlepool to help two children in distress, Cleveland Police said.
Police, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), the Coastguard and the North East Ambulance Service were called to the incident at 3.45pm on Sunday.
The men were pulled from the water by RNLI staff and received immediate medical treatment, but both were pronounced dead a short time later.
Both children were taken to hospital to be checked and are currently safe.
Inspector Glen Ward said: “We offer our deepest condolences to the families of both men involved in this tragic incident today.
“Although the deaths are not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner, we are carrying out an investigation into what happened today.”
“Despite the best efforts of emergency crews, unfortunately both men were pronounced dead shortly after being pulled from the sea.”
The deaths come after dozens of people died offshore during record-breaking heatwaves in May and June.
“I would like to remind everyone that open water carries serious risks,” Mr Ward said.
“We know the warm weather is inviting, but we encourage people to avoid entering open water. Unfortunately, today we have seen the true tragedy that can occur as a result.”
Please be more careful and enjoy the warm weather as safely as possible.
The RNLI has issued an alert following a rise in fatal water-related incidents, urging people to learn what to do if they are in danger in the water.
Water safety manager Ross Macleod said: “The one piece of advice we urge people to remember is to Swim to Live: Tilt your head back with your ears underwater. Relax and try to breathe normally. Move your hands and legs to help you stay above water when you need to.”
“By doing this, you give yourself a chance to rest and recover your breathing. Once you regain control of your breathing, you can call for help or swim to safety.”
“We know this advice saves lives. We are aware of around 50 people to date who have used Float to Live advice to help them survive when in danger in the water – and these are just the situations we know of. There could be many more. We urge people to remember, apply and share the advice.”
