A body has been found by the police on a beach during their search for Grace Keeling, a missing 15-year-old teenager.
Grace went missing after falling into the water at Withernsea, Yorkshire, on January 2. Her mother, Sarah Keeling, 45, and a passer-by named Mark Ratcliffe, 67, attempted to rescue her but tragically both lost their lives in the incident. Mr. Ratcliffe was discovered unconscious during the initial search, while Grace was recovered by HM Coastguard several days later.
The incident occurred as Grace and a friend were near the rocks, and she is believed to have fallen into the water after being swept by a wave. Moments before, she disappeared while wave-watching with her mother as large waves hit the promenade.
Humberside Police has confirmed the discovery of a body on the beach. Emergency services and HM Coastguard are present at the location trying to delicately recover the body from the rocks. Although the discovery was made on Thursday morning, adverse tide conditions have delayed the recovery process.
Detective Superintendent Simon Vickers of Humberside Police stated that despite finding the body on Thursday morning, the recovery operation was postponed due to high tide and challenging conditions. The area has been secured, and efforts are ongoing to safely retrieve the body.
Formal identification of the body is pending, but it is believed to be linked to Grace Keeling, who went missing on January 2. Detective Vickers assured the public that the recovery operation is being conducted with utmost care and dedication.
Inquests into the deaths of Sarah and Mark were opened and adjourned at Hull Coroners’ Court on January 12. The coroner determined drowning as the primary cause of Sarah’s death, with head and neck injuries as contributing factors. For Mark, drowning was identified as the main cause of death, with chest injuries playing a role as well.
Paying tribute to Mark, his family described him as a selfless hero who lost his life trying to save others. They expressed deep sorrow and emphasized the impact his loss has had on many lives.
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