Police name teenage girl who died after Clacton sea rescue

A 14-year-old girl who died after she was pulled from the sea in Essex has been named by police as Malika Shamas from Luton.

Malika and two of her relatives, an 18-year-old man and a 15-year-old girl, were rescued at Clacton-on-Sea on Thursday afternoon.

The man remains in hospital in a critical condition and the 15-year-old girl is in a stable condition, Essex Police said on Friday.

Witnesses described “distressing” scenes as lifeguards and paramedics scrambled to help the three teenagers after they were spotted struggling near Marine Parade at about 1.40pm on Thursday.

On Friday, floral tributes had been attached to railings by the beach.

The incident happened little more than a year after 15-year-old Ben Quartermaine drowned near the pier.

Acting Detective Superintendent Paul Wells said on Thursday that the three teenagers got into difficulty at sea and were recovered from the water, close to Clacton Pier.

Several members of the public aided the rescue effort and two other people were also treated at the beach, but did not need to be taken to hospital.

“Everyone tried to take turns doing the CPR while the lifeboat went out again and retrieved the third person, who seemed not to be in such a bad way.

“It was so distressing, everyone was trying to do what they could – lifeguards, air ambulance, they truly worked as a team.”

Ms Bryant, a carer from Wivenhoe, said the three teenagers were with a group of up to 30 people at the beach.

All three teenagers were taken to Colchester General Hospital.

The East of England Ambulance Service said its first responder arrived at the beach less than seven minutes after the call was made.