Bournemouth beach incident LIVE: Police investigate deaths

2023-06-02

Bournemouth beach incident LIVE: Latest news as police investigate what happened after deaths of girl, 12, and boy, 17 in Dorset

Follow all the latest news and developments as police continue to investigate the deaths of two children at Bournemouth beach.

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Assistant Chief Constable Rachel Farrell said a total of 10 people were rescued from the water in Bournemouth on Wednesday as she thanked members of the public who assisted emergency workers.

‘A 17-year-old boy from Southampton and a 12-year-old girl from Buckinghamshire were taken to hospital where very sadly they later died,’ she said.

The other eight people involved were treated by ambulance at the scene, she added.

‘I would sincerely like to thank members of the public who helped people in trouble in the water.

‘I’m also very grateful to the wider beach-goers who really quickly moved from the beach and allowed emergency services to do their work,’ she said.

Harrowing details of the incident at Bournemouth beach on Wednesday are beginning to emerge as witnesses tell how children got into trouble at sea.

Nicola Holton, who was at the beach with her husband, said: ‘One lifeguard went to rescue two swimmers struggling but he couldn’t bring them in. He spotted another person struggling and a second lifeguard went out to them but there were multiple people in trouble.

‘The remaining lifeguard was trying to get everyone out of the water. The ambulance service came to the struggling person rescued by the second lifeguard. More lifeguards arrived to rescue another swimmer near the pier.

‘My husband spotted another swimmer struggling. He ran to the lifeguards. The guard immediately went in and they picked him up on a jet ski.

‘I will never ever get the image out of my head of him being brought out. They cleared the beach for the air ambulance. Then another was spotted and again brought to shore to be worked on. Absolutely horrible.

‘Loads of idiots ignoring lifeguard requests to get out of the water and clear the beach. People were running towards those having CPR filming on their phones.’

Doctor who desperately tried to save girl, 12, slams sickening TikTok idiots

One of Britain’s top doctors today told MailOnline of the desperate attempts to save the two children who died in Bournemouth yesterday – and slammed TikTok fiends who filmed the CPR and mocked medics running to their aid.

Eight other children were hurt after getting into trouble in the water close to the beach in Dorset packed with half-term holidaymakers and locals yesterday afternoon.

But a minority filmed the tragedy unfold – including emergency workers performing CPR on a child. One teenager filmed one lifeguard sprinting across the sand, shouting: ‘Oh s**t. You run boy. Run, Forrest Run’. One angry person nearby then yelled: ‘Someone is f***ing dying’.

Bournemouth-born Dr Rob Rosa, a former GP and now one of Britain’s Chief Medical Officers, told MailOnline how he was on the promenade when the first child was brought on to the beach and ran down to help when the second child, the 12-year-old girl was brought in from the sea around 15 minutes later. Witnesses said she had apparently been found face down in the water.

He said: ‘Those videoing the desperate CPR attempts should think long and hard at their actions, the tragic death of a child is not something anyone should voyeuristically observe’.

In the press conference earlier this afternoon, Dorset Police confirmed that the two children who lost their lives yesterday are not related.

The 12-year-old girl was from Buckinghamshire while the 17-year-old boy was from Southampton.

Both families have been informed and are being supported by officers.

There are currently no details as to the other children who were taken to hospital with injuries.

From some angles, Bournemouth beach on Thursday looked just as it does any other day.

Sunbathers and sea-lovers have gathered along the shore again today to take advantage of the good weather.

But elsewhere, the signs of the tragedy are clear to see.

An increased police presence has seen officers patrolling the sands to reassure the public. And floral tributes have been left to the two young people who have lost their lives.

In a press conference earlier today a spokesperson for Dorset Police confirmed that the two young people who sadly died in last night’s incident did not jump off Bournemouth pier and were not hit by any watercraft.

A 17-year-old boy from Southampton and a 12-year-old girl from Buckinghamshire died after getting into difficulty in the water at the Dorset resort on Wednesday afternoon. A further eight people were treated by paramedics following the incident.

Speaking at a press conference, Dorset Police Assistant Chief Constable Rachel Farrell said: ‘Following our initial inquiries, a man aged in his 40s, who was on the water at the time, has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.’

‘As we have a person in custody, you will know there is only limited information I can give about the investigation.

‘However, to avoid further speculation, I am able to tell you that it’s clear that yesterday a number of people already in the water got into difficulty and we are investigating the circumstances or event that caused that to happen.

‘Early investigation indicates that there was no physical contact between a vessel and any of the swimmers at the time of the incident.

‘I can also confirm there is no suggestion of people jumping from the pier or jet-skis being involved.’

Half-term tragedy as girl, 12, and boy, 17, die in Bournemouth

A 12-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy have been pronounced dead and a man in his 40s has been arrested after a major incident at Bournemouth beach which saw ten people pulled from the sea.

The man, in his 40s, who had been on the water at the time of the incident, is being held on suspicion of manslaughter, Dorset Police said last night.

Lifeguards on the busy beach rushed into the water by Bournemouth Pier after a group of people got into difficulty in the sea around 4.30pm on Wednesday.

It is believed that all of those involved were aged between 12 and 18.

Emergency services were quickly at the scene with the teenage boy and girl being rushed to hospital after sustaining critical injuries. Tragically they both died later in hospital. Their families have been informed.