Essex Police and other emergency crews responded at West Mersea Beach on Wednesday evening after a tragic incident, with part of the sand at the bottom of Seaview Avenue cordoned off. Police asked people to avoid Seaview Avenue in West Mersea while they dealt with the scene.
The Coastguard said it had been called to a tragic incident on the beach, and West Mersea Coastguard Rescue Team said its thoughts were with the family involved. An RNLI spokeswoman said West Mersea and Clacton lifeboats were launched, while a spokeswoman for East Anglian Air Ambulance said a helicopter was sent to West Mersea.
Seaview Avenue cordon
Police focused their on-land inquiries on part of the sand where windbreakers were in place. The area sat near the bottom of Seaview Avenue in West Mersea, and the cordon kept people away from the section being used by emergency crews.
West Mersea Beach was described as a main beach that gets really busy when it is hot. That made the response visible to people nearby as police and ambulance staff attended the scene and the RNLI launched its West Mersea and Clacton lifeboats.
West Mersea Parish Church
The Reverend Jo Parrott said West Mersea Parish Church would be open for anyone affected. Her offer gave people nearby a place to go while emergency services continued their work on the beach and in the water.
West Mersea Coastguard Rescue Team said it had been called to a “tragic incident” on the beach and that “our thoughts are with the family involved.” The nature of the incident had not been made public, leaving the response focused on the shoreline, the water and the people closest to it.
