Victims of Sea Tragedy Include a Mom, 45, and Her Daughter, 15, Plus the ‘Hero’ Man Who Tried to Save Them

Authorities in Northern England have identified three people who died after being swept into the sea off the snow-covered resort town of Withernsea.

In a series of statements released Sunday, Jan. 4, Humberside Police confirmed that the victims of Friday’s “tragic accident” were 45-year-old Sarah Keeling, her 15-year-old daughter Grace Keeling, and 67-year-old Mark Ratcliffe. Police said Ratcliffe, a local member of the public, lost his life while attempting to help with the rescue.

Sarah Keeling and Ratcliffe were recovered from the water on Friday evening. Search efforts to locate Grace Keeling have continued, with authorities confirming she remains missing.

Ratcliffe’s family paid tribute to him in a statement, describing him as “a truly selfless hero with a heart of gold, who was so cruelly taken trying to save others.”

“A loving husband, father, son, brother and the best grandad anybody could ever wish for,” the family said. “Sleep tight. We love you, we miss you. So many lives are now shattered that you’re gone. You were loved by so many people, and we will all miss you forever.”

Police said both families are continuing to receive support from specially trained officers.

The incident unfolded shortly after 3:10 p.m. local time on Friday, when HM Coastguard responded to reports of multiple people struggling in the water near Withernsea’s Central Promenade. Officials later confirmed that three individuals had been reported missing, though only two bodies were initially recovered.

Eyewitnesses told GB News that a powerful wave knocked a teenage girl off her feet and dragged her farther out to sea. The outlet also reported that rescue teams faced extreme conditions due to dangerous waves. Authorities had reportedly prohibited swimming in the area the previous day because of the hazardous sea state.

Search operations continued into the early hours of Saturday, Jan. 3, before being temporarily suspended around 12:30 a.m. HM Coastguard later announced that its extensive search efforts were formally stood down by Saturday afternoon.