Bournemouth beach deaths – latest: Boat operations halted after ‘riptide’ pier tragedy

Sunnah Khan, 12 and Joe Abbess, 17, died last week after getting into difficulty off the pier

Boy, 17, and girl, 12, die following incident off Bournemouth beach

Boat operations from Bournemouth Pier, where two youngsters died last week, have been suspended as a precaution.

Sunnah Khan, 12, described by a family friend as an “angel”, and Joe Abbess, 17, died last week after getting into difficulty in the sea off the pier.

An inquest heard on Monday that they died of ‘drowning’.

Earlier, Sunnah’s mother Stephanie Williams said she was still in the dark about what happened during the incident and had not been given any information beyond what Dorset Police said at a news conference following the deaths.

On Tuesday, the local council said that a ban on boat operations would remain while the police carry out an investigation.

A statement, seen by the Independent, said: “All boat operations from the pier have been suspended as a precaution, pending a conclusion to the police investigation.

“We are aware the investigation is complex and will consult with Dorset Police when the investigation is complete.”

A 40-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter following the incident has been released under investigation.

Key points

• Two victims drowned, inquest hears
• Mother of ‘angel’ who drowned still in dark over what happened
• Teenagers hailed as heroes after risking lives to save drowning man on day of tragedy
• Family of girl who died in Bournemouth beach tragedy say death left ‘hole in our hearts’
• Father of Bournemouth tragedy survivor says daughter taken out by ‘rip tide'
• Police search pleasure boat as part of investigation
• Two children who died in sea tragedy ‘not related', police say

[2 June 2023 05:30 · Alisha Rahaman Sarkar]

Teenager who died was on a trip with ‘college pals’

The 17-year-old boy who died alongside a girl on Bournemouth beach was reportedly on a day trip with college friends.

The teenager, who hasn’t been named yet, died after getting into difficulty in the water on Wednesday.

Among the group was survivor Lauren Tate, 18, who was admitted to the hospital yesterday. Her father told Daily Mail that she was swimming with her friends when the “rip tide took them out”.

“She was lucky to get pulled from the sea by the coastguard and one of her other friends was rescued by a paddleboarder.

“I know the boy who died was at college with her, but I don’t know anything about him,” the father said.

[2 June 2023 06:00 · Joe Middleton]

A packed beach, a fight and a single bunch of flowers: Bournemouth continues to welcome tourists the day after mystery deaths

Mystery still surrounds the events that saw a 17 year-old-boy and a 12 year-girl lose their lives - but Bournemouth beach was as busy as ever. Tara Cobham reports from the seaside town.

[2 June 2023 06:17 · Alisha Rahaman Sarkar]

MP calls on police to release more information

Tobias Ellwood, the MP from Bournemouth East, has called on the Dorset police to release more information surrounding the death of two children.

He said: “This is a tragic incident and the police clearly have to do their investigation and that is understood.

“But I would encourage them to give more clarity as to the general details of this tragedy to help assure beachgoers that this occurrence is unlikely to happen again.

“It will place this event into context while reassuring people that it is safe to visit our beautiful beaches.”

[2 June 2023 06:30 · Alisha Rahaman Sarkar]

Beach packed day after two children die in sea tragedy

Footage shows Bournemouth beach packed yesterday, less than 24 hours after a 17-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl died after getting into difficulty in the sea.

Emergency services attended the scene on Wednesday afternoon, where eight other people were also recovered from the water.

With temperatures reaching close to 20C, hundreds of people were seen relaxing on the sand and playing in the sea.

[2 June 2023 07:00 · Alisha Rahaman Sarkar]

Bournemouth beachgoers recall ‘tragic’ incident

Tributes poured in for the two children who died just hours before following a dramatic rescue effort.

Bill Jackson, 66, told Daily Echo that it “so sad” that it had happened in Bournemouth.“It’s a great town, it’s a lovely town,” he said.

“My grandson’s at that age so it’s scary, it’s absolutely devastating.”

“[It’s] absolutely tragic,” said 44-year-old Lee Parkinson.

“I’m not sure about the details but we got news that there was a couple of air ambulances and that an area of the beach had been closed off.

“I woke up this morning and found out that two people had sadly passed away, it’s really sad.”

[2 June 2023 07:18 · Maryam Zakir-Hussain]

Father of Bournemouth tragedy survivor says daughter taken out by ‘rip tide'

The father of a survivor of Wednesday’s tragic incident has said his daughter was taken out by a “rip tide”.

Lauren Tate, 18, was treating in hospital for a short period of time and is now recovering at home.

Her father told the Mail Online: “We’ve seen all the stuff about boats and jet skis but it wasn’t like that. She was swimming in the sea with her friends when the rip tide took them out.”

The 18-year-old was pulled from the sea by a coastguard.

(PA)

[2 June 2023 07:30 · Alisha Rahaman Sarkar]

Pleasure boat under ‘police cordon’

A pleasure boat has been cordoned off by the police investigating the deaths of two children who sustained “critical injuries” at Bournemouth beach.

Forensic officers were seen onboard the Dorset Belle which is docked at a harbour in Poole.

“This vessel is under a police cordon. No one is permitted onboard or to touch the vessel,” police sources told The Sun

[2 June 2023 08:29 · Maryam Zakir-Hussain]

Bournemouth beach tragedy ‘like scene from horror film’ as child’s body ‘floated in water’

Eyewitnesses described a tragedy on Bournemouth beach that left two children dead as “like a horror movie”.

A 12-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy suffered “critical” injuries in a fatal incident that occurred next to Bournemouth Pier on Wednesday afternoon.

Police arrested a man in his 40s who was “on the water” at the time on suspicion of manslaughter and investigations to establish exactly what happened are ongoing.

Read more from Matt Mathers here:

[2 June 2023 08:44 · Maryam Zakir-Hussain]

Beachgoers filmed Bournemouth tragedy victim receiving CPR

Beachgoers filmed paramedics delivering CPR to people involved in an incident off Bournemouth Pier that killed two youngsters, witnesses have said.

The deceased - a 17-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl - sustained “critical injuries” and died after being pulled from the sea.

Eight other people were treated for injuries described as non-threatening. A 40-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

People at the scene have hit out at those who filmed emergency services.

Nicola Holton, who was at the beach with her husband, said she witnessed lifeguards entering the sea trying to help “multiple people” who were struggling in the water.

[2 June 2023 09:09 · Maryam Zakir-Hussain]

Police search pleasure boat as girl, 12, and boy, 17, die in beach incident mystery

Police have searched a pleasure boat as part of the investigation into the deaths of two children who sustained “critical injuries” at Bournemouth beach on Wednesday.

A 17-year-old boy from Southampton and a 12-year-old girl from High Wycombe lost their lives after being pulled from the sea in front of horrified beachgoers on Wednesday afternoon.

A man in his forties, who was “on the water” at the time but not known to the children, was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, police said. He was released under investigation on Thursday evening.

Eight other children, who had minor injuries and were treated by paramedics at the scene, were also rescued. It is not thought the group all knew each other.