Craig Bowe, 42, dived into the sea three times at West Mersea after hearing screams and seeing people in distress. He pulled 41-year-old Shally Rahman and her 15-year-old daughter Samiha from the water, but both later died despite resuscitation attempts. A seven-year-old boy was airlifted to hospital in critical condition; three others were taken to hospital by ambulance. Essex Police have appealed for witnesses as detectives investigate.
West Mersea Rescue: Day-Tripper Dived Three Times to Save Family — Mother and Teen Daughter Later Died
HM Coastguard at the scene on Wednesday evening [Lewis Adams/BBC]
A day-tripper has described how he waded into the sea three times in an attempt to save a mother and her teenage daughter who drowned off West Mersea, near Colchester, on Wednesday evening.
The Rescue
Craig Bowe, 42, a kitchen fitter from Northaw, told the BBC he was on a family outing from Hertfordshire to celebrate his daughter's 10th birthday when he heard screams at about 17:35 BST. Bowe said he battled the incoming tide after seeing people in difficulty and pulled 41-year-old Shally Rahman to shore, where bystanders began administering CPR.
Flowers have been left on the beach, including from the HM Coastguard crew [Lewis Adams/BBC]
He then swam back out to retrieve Shally's 15-year-old daughter, Samiha Rahman. After those rescues, Bowe returned a third time to help load a seven-year-old boy and another child onto a lifeboat; the children were believed to be around 150 yards (137m) out at sea.
'When I got there, the first two people I saw were actually face down, so [it was] more serious than I initially thought,' Bowe said. 'The waves were hitting me in the face. The current was definitely stronger.'
Aftermath
Despite the efforts of Bowe, his wife and other beachgoers, the mother and daughter later died. The seven-year-old boy was airlifted to hospital and remained in critical condition on Friday. Three other people were taken by ambulance to a different hospital following the incident.
Craig and Carly Bowe hailed the team effort of everyone who tried to help on the beach [Qays Najm/BBC]
Flowers, including tributes from the HM Coastguard crew, were left on the beach. Bowe downplayed being called a hero and said the rescue was a team effort. His wife, Carly, who was among those trying to resuscitate the victims on the sand, said: 'I just wanted them to survive and every bit of me was willing her to breathe.'
Investigation
Essex Police have appealed for witnesses to come forward as detectives work to establish the full circumstances. The BBC reported that the boy may have been stranded on a sandbank and cut off from the shore, but police enquiries are ongoing.
If you witnessed the incident or have any information, Essex Police have asked you to contact them to assist the investigation.
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