Andy Burnham has sent his best wishes to the family of a young girl fighting for her life in hospital, after a “terrible tragedy” in Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, claimed the lives of three other family members who got into difficulty while swimming in rough sea conditions.
Andy Burnham has sent his “best wishes and love” to the family of a young girl fighting for her life following a tragedy at sea in West Sussex. A huge emergency service response was launched in Shoreham-by-Sea after police were alerted to four people in difficulty in the water, believed to be members of the same family who had gone in for a swim. Sussex Police confirmed on Tuesday night that a man, a woman and a teenage girl had died, while a younger girl from the family remained in a critical condition in hospital. In response, Burnham has issued a warning about the dangers of open water swimming.
What happened
Sussex Police said the emergency call came in at around 2.40pm on Tuesday, 18 August, following reports of four people in difficulty in the water near Shoreham Fort. All four were brought ashore by the emergency response, but despite the efforts of paramedics, the man, woman and teenage girl were pronounced dead at the scene. The younger girl was taken to hospital in a critical condition, with specialist officers now supporting the family.
Police have confirmed that all four victims were members of the same family, and that their next of kin have been informed. Chief Superintendent James Collis said investigators currently believe all four had entered the water from the shore intending to swim before getting into difficulty. Police have not released the names or ages of the three people who died, and the precise circumstances that led to the family running into trouble remain under investigation.
The incident took place at the tidal mouth of the River Adur, close to Shoreham Fort, rather than at what would typically be considered an ordinary inland swimming location.
Scale of the emergency response
The response to the incident involved Sussex Police, HM Coastguard, Shoreham RNLI and the South East Coast Ambulance Service, with a Coastguard helicopter and multiple Coastguard rescue teams deployed to the scene. Both Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex helicopters and their critical-care teams were also sent to assist.
The A259 Brighton Road was closed in both directions, between New Road and Kingston Lane, while the emergency operation was under way. A local eyewitness described the scale of the response as involving helicopters, Coastguard vehicles, RNLI crews, ambulances and police, with emergency activity continuing around the lifeboat station.
HM Coastguard subsequently carried out an extensive search of the water, but has since confirmed it is no longer searching for anyone else in connection with the incident.
Rough conditions at the time
Local witnesses described the sea conditions at the time as extremely rough, with strong winds recorded during the incident. While this context may prove significant to the investigation, police have not said that weather conditions were the cause of the tragedy, and the exact chain of events remains under active investigation.
Investigation and appeal for information
Police have launched Operation North in connection with the incident and are asking anyone with information or video footage from the area to come forward.
Reaction from officials
Andy Burnham described the incident as a “terrible tragedy” and sent his best wishes and love to the family involved, while also using the moment to highlight the dangers associated with open water swimming.
Local MP Tom Rutland said the community would be “hoping and praying” for the recovery of the surviving girl, and praised the emergency crews who responded “swiftly” and worked in what he described as exceptionally difficult circumstances.
