Mother and teen daughter die in West Mersea beach rescue

A mother and her teenage daughter died after getting into difficulty in the water off West Mersea beach in Essex on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in what police described as a tragic incident while they were attempting to rescue a young family member. The victims have been identified by family as Shally Rahman, 42, and her 15-year-old daughter, Samiha, from east London. A seven-year-old child, understood to be a cousin, was rescued and remains in a critical condition in hospital.

Emergency services were called at 5:35 p.m. on Wednesday after reports that several people were in distress in the water near Seaview Avenue, adjacent to the Sea View Holiday Park. The East of England Ambulance Service dispatched multiple resources, including critical care paramedics, a Hazardous Area Response Team, and two air ambulances. One patient was transported by air to hospital, and three others were taken by road. Despite extensive resuscitation efforts on the beach, the woman and teenage girl could not be saved. Police confirmed two other people were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

According to family members and local witnesses, about ten relatives from the British-Bangladeshi...