Bournemouth beach deaths – latest: Boat operations halted after ‘riptide’ pier tragedy

At a press conference on Thursday, Dorset Police dismissed reports that the deceased had jumped from the pier or had been hit by a jet ski.

Rachel Farrell, assistant chief constable, confirmed that none of the swimmers had been in “physical contact” with any vessel.

She said that a number of people already in the water got into difficulty and the force was investigating what “caused that to happen”.

“As we have a person in custody, you will know there is only limited information I can give about the investigation,” Ms Farrell said.

“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.

Ms Farrell added that the two who died were not related to each other and those involved were “different people from different families” who were assisted by “great-spirited members of the public”.

She added: “We are all truly devastated that two young people have lost their lives.

People on the beach said they witnesses other beachgoers filming paramedics delivering CPR to people involved in the incident.

Nicola Holton, who was at the beach with her husband, said she witnessed lifeguards entering the sea trying to help “multiple people” who were struggling in the water.

“[There were] loads of idiots ignoring lifeguard requests to get out of the water and clear the beach,” she said.

“People were running towards those having CPR filming on their phones.”

A doctor who said he was involved in the resuscitation attempt on the young girl praised the work of the beach lifeguards and also hit out at those filming the incident.

“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”, he told MailOnline.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council leader Vikki Slade said the authority is working with the emergency services and will be assessing safety in the water near the pier.

“There are specific rules relating to the buoys in the water but there is no evidence that any of these rules have been breached,” she said.

Tobias Ellwood, the MP for East Bournemouth and chair of the Commons defence committee, told Sky News that the pier was “involved” in the tragedy.

The local council will review its protocols in relation to what can be conducted on the pier, he added.

Bournemouth West MP Conor Burns said the incident is a “salutary lesson” that “danger is ever present” on beaches and the ocean.

Families arriving at the beach on Thursday spoke of their shock at the previous day’s events.

One woman, who did not want to be named, said: “It’s such a shame, people just come here to have fun, it’s a real tragedy.”

Mourners were seen placing a bunch of flowers on the beach close to the pier early on Thursday morning.

Read Matt Mathers’ full story here.

“Devastated” friends and teachers of a 17-year-old trainee chef who died in the Bournemouth beach tragedy said he was “an exceptional student”.

Joe Abbess, who was studying at City College Southampton, drowned along with 12-year-old Sunnah Khan in the Dorset seaside resort on May 31.

Stephanie Williams, the schoolgirl’s mother, has posted on social media, describing her “beautiful” daughter as “so well loved and well liked”.

An inquest into the death of the two youngsters opened at Bournemouth on Monday and heard they were part of a group of people thought to have been caught up in a riptide in the sea near to the pier.

Read Ben Mitchell’s full story here

A local MP has criticised Dorset Police for failing to properly communicate with the public about the circumstances that led to the death of two youngsters who got into difficulty in the water off Bournemouth beach.

Joe Abbess, a 17-year-old boy from Southampton, and Sunnah Khan, a 12-year-old girl from Buckinghamshire, were rescued from the sea during the incident on Wednesday, but both died later in hospital.

An inquest into both deaths is anticipated to be opened on Monday subject to confirmation by HM Coroner.

Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood expressed concern about a lack of clarity from local officers about the incident, which he said had led to “wild speculation on social media”.

Read the full article here.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council said that all boat operations from Bournemouth Pier have been suspended.

The authority said in a statement: “We are aware the investigation is complex and will consult with Dorset Police when the investigation is complete.”

Dorset Police is currently looking into the tragedy but said it is keeping an “open mind” to possibilities.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council has confirmed they have suspended operations on boat operations on Bournemouth beach.

A BCP Council spokesperson said: “All boat operations from the pier have been suspended as a precaution, pending a conclusion to the police investigation.

“We are aware the investigation is complex and will consult with Dorset Police when the investigation is complete.”

A sightseeing boat was impounded by police after two children died in a tragic sea incident in Bournemouth this week.

A 12-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy died after suffering critical injuries during the incident near the Pier on Wednesday.

Eight others were pulled from the water but none of their conditions were life-threatening.

A day after the incident, forensic officers were seen onboard the sightseeing boat, the Dorset Belle, at Cobb’s Quay, Poole Harbour.

Read Maryam Zakir-Hussain’s full story here.

Also in Bournemouth, a woman has been taken to hospital after a suspected gas explosion left her trapped under the rubble of her home.

The woman, in her 50s, was inside the property when the explosion blew out the windows of her end of terrace home on Gunville Crescent, on Tuesday morning.

Fire crews along with an air ambulance, police and gas network SGN attended the incident with the woman being taken to Southampton General Hospital by ambulance.

Read Joe Middleton’s full story here.