A mother and her teenage daughter drowned at an Essex beach after wading into the water to try to save a seven-year-old boy, police have said.
Shally Rahman, 41, a teacher, and her 15-year-old daughter Samiha died on Wednesday evening at West Mersea near Colchester. The boy, a relative, remains on life support in a London hospital.
“Mother and daughter died trying to save a seven-year-old boy at West Mersea beach.”
Essex Police were called by the ambulance service at 5.35pm to reports of trouble near Seaview Avenue. Detective Chief Inspector Al Pitcher said the mother and daughter were from London and had been trying to help the boy.
"At this stage we believe they were trying to help a seven-year-old boy who had got into difficulties," Pitcher said. "All the people involved in this incident are related to each other."
Family members said the group of about 10 were on a seaside holiday when a big wave swept them into the water. Shally's brother-in-law Matiur Rahman, speaking from Bangladesh, told the BBC: "My whole family, we are, like, speechless. We are very shocked."
Bystanders rushed to help, including teenagers from a nearby beach diner and an off-duty paramedic walking their dog. The East of England Ambulance Service said the deceased could not be resuscitated "despite best efforts". Four others were taken to hospital, one by air ambulance.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham, visiting Harlow, described the deaths as "very sad" and thanked emergency services.
Local resident Rita Coombs, 70, who laid flowers at the beach, called the events "absolutely horrific" and praised the emergency response as "beyond all belief".
Family friend Mishba Uddin said the mother and daughter were "not very good swimmers". The family are British-Bangladeshi; Shally's husband is Mansur Rahman, a leader of the overseas youth wing of the Bangladesh Nationalist party.
The tragedy has prompted calls for compulsory water-safety lessons. The Mirror’s Save Lives for Sam campaign notes that children from African, Caribbean and Asian backgrounds are three-and-a-half times more likely to drown. "Swimming is not a luxury or a sporting extra," the paper said. "It is a life skill."