A man who died trying to save two people from the sea in East Yorkshire on Friday was attempting to rescue a mother and her teenage daughter, Humberside police have said.
The body of Sarah Keeling, 45, was recovered from Withernsea on Friday, while Grace Keeling, 15, remains missing after being washed away.
Mark Ratcliffe, who tried to save them, was pulled unconscious from the water and died at the scene.
“Humberside police can now confirm that a mother and daughter, 45-year-old Sarah Keeling and 15-year-old Grace Keeling, were involved in this tragic incident, alongside 67-year-old Mark Ratcliffe, a member of the public who died trying to assist with the rescue,” the force said on Sunday.
“Both families continue to be supported by specially trained officers.”
Mark Ratcliffe, 67, was pulled unconscious from the sea at Withernsea, East Yorkshire, on Friday afternoon. Photograph: Humberside police/PA
In their tribute, Ratcliffe’s family said he was “a true selfless hero with a heart of gold, who was so cruelly taken trying to save others”.
“So many lives are now shattered that you’re gone,” they said. “You were loved by so many people, and we will all miss you for ever. A loving husband, father, son, brother and the best grandad anybody could ever wish for. Sleep tight, we love you, we miss you.”
Emergency services were called to Central Promenade in the East Yorkshire seaside resort on Friday at 3.15pm, responding to reports of there being people in difficulty in the water. Witnesses said they had seen people rushing in to rescue a young woman who had fallen into a treacherous sea.
A police spokesperson said there would continue to be an increased police presence in and around the area as officers continued to search for Grace.
