Two teenagers, a 12-year-old girl, and a 17-year-old boy, have tragically died after being pulled from the water near Bournemouth Pier. Eight other individuals received treatment for non-life-threatening injuries. Emergency services were alerted to the incident at 16:32 BST on Wednesday.
A man in his 40s, who was in the water at the time, has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, according to Dorset Police. The circumstances leading to the teenagers’ injuries, which ultimately resulted in their deaths at the hospital, remain unclear.
The incident occurred during the half-term holidays, with Bournemouth beach filled with families and tourists. Eyewitnesses reported not fully grasping the gravity of the situation until the official police statement was released, despite the significant presence of helicopters, ambulances, and coastguard units.
The coastguard conducted a thorough search to ensure no other individuals were missing and confirmed that all were accounted for. Detective Chief Superintendent Neil Corrigan acknowledged that the beach was “very busy” and urged anyone with relevant information to come forward. He also requested that people refrain from speculating about the events leading up to the tragic incident.
Following the incident, the beach and nearby Pier Approach were cleared and cordoned off.
Bournemouth West MP Conor Burns expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased and reminded the public of the ever-present danger at beaches and oceans, despite their beauty. He took to Twitter to thank the lifeguards and air ambulance personnel for their efforts.
