Heroic Bystanders Rally to Save London Mum and Daughter from Drowning at Essex Beach

A couple who endeavoured to rescue a mother and daughter who tragically drowned off West Mersea beach in Essex expressed their deep desire for the pair to survive. Samiha Rahman, aged 15, and her mother Shally Rahman, 41, lost their lives while attempting to save a seven-year-old family member who had encountered difficulties as the tide rose on Wednesday.

Essex Police reported that they were alerted by the ambulance service at 5:35 PM following reports of multiple individuals in distress in the water near Seaview Avenue. Craig Bowe and his wife Carly were enjoying a day trip from Hertfordshire to celebrate their daughter’s 10th birthday when they heard a man’s urgent cries for help from the sea.

Heroic Rescue Efforts

Mr Bowe, aged 42, immediately swam out to assist the struggling individuals while his wife communicated with the ambulance service. He managed to pull both the mother and daughter from the waves and also aided the seven-year-old boy, who is currently in a critical condition in hospital, along with another child to safety on a lifeboat.

Speaking about the incident, Mr Bowe, a kitchen fitter, recounted, “Initially, I thought that they were facing up, starfish, and trying to survive. So I swam out and thought maybe I could talk to them and try, as a team, to come back together. But when I got there, the first two people that I saw were actually face down, so it was more serious than I initially thought.”

Reports indicate that Samiha and Shally Rahman were “not very good swimmers” and had simply been enjoying a day out at the beach when they attempted to rescue the boy as he struggled in the water. After Mr Bowe brought the two women to shore, bystanders began administering CPR, prompting him to return to the water to assist the seven-year-old boy and another child.

Community Response and Regret

“I helped sort of shoo him onto the boat, because he was face down too… but the seven-year-old was not in a good way,” Mr Bowe remarked, highlighting the challenges posed by the waves and the strong current. Mrs Bowe, who participated in the resuscitation attempts for Ms Rahman and Samiha, expressed her heartfelt wish for their survival, stating, “I just wanted them to survive, and just every bit in me was willing her to breathe.”

She acknowledged the difficulties posed by the time the pair had spent in the water, yet emphasised that everyone involved had done their utmost to provide them with a fighting chance. “As soon as the paramedics arrived, they ran onto the beach and did a great job in taking over from the people that were doing chest compressions, and then we all stepped away to let them,” she added.

Mrs Bowe praised the tireless efforts of the emergency responders, noting, “They really worked endlessly. To the last minute that they could, and unfortunately, it just wasn’t enough for those two.” She described the rescue attempt as a collaborative effort, asserting that “everybody on that beach that day played their part.”

Appeal for Information

Essex Police are appealing for anyone who was in the vicinity at the time and may possess information or footage that could assist in their investigation to contact them by dialling 101 and quoting incident number 1090.