Dad drowns in front his kids after trio swept out to sea by rip tide in horrifying heatwave tragedy
A DAD drowned in front of his two kids when a trip to the seaside ended in another heatwave tragedy.
The man had been swimming with the teenage boy and girl off the Yorkshire coast when all three were swept out to sea by a rip tide.
A quick-thinking holidaymaker launched a drone which was able to spot the family struggling against the tide.
Lifeboatmen and other 999 workers were scrambled from the nearby resort of Filey, North Yorkshire, when the alarm was raised at 2pm on Thursday.
Coastguards described what happened as “horrific”.
The two children were plucked from the waves by swimmers and sunbathers at the beach at Reighton Gap, four miles south of Filey.
But the dad, aged 55, ended up deeper out to sea as lifeboatmen raced to the scene. One crew member bravely dived in after spotting the drowning man.
They pulled him from the water but he was later pronounced dead despite desperate attempts to revive him.
The Yorkshire Air Ambulance and a Coastguard helicopter also landed as medics could also work on the casualty.
Eye witness Micky Free was flying a drone on the beach and used it to help locate the casualties in the water, while wife Gemma and another woman dived in to save the two kids.
"I was the drone operator on the beach and I led the public to the three in trouble in the sea. The girl was rescued by a brave man and a couple of others from the beach.
“I led my drone to the boy that needed help. If not for my brave wife Gemma and another woman the boy would not have made it back to land.
"I am so proud that members of the public risked their lives in the rescue of others that they did not even know."
John Ward, from Filey RNLI, said: "Just before 2pm, Humber Coastguard requested the immediate launch of Filey lifeboat following multiple 999 calls that three persons were in great difficulties in the sea off Reighton Gap, some four miles south of Filey.
"As there was already an Atlantic 85 crew at the boathouse preparing to launch on exercise, it was decided to send that boat (relief Atlantic 85 'Pride of Fred Olsen') with Neil Cammish, Fraser Haddington, Sarah Scrivener and Rhys Colling as crew.
"In view of the nature of the call, the A85 was rapidly launched and with its top speed of over 35 knots, the crew were on scene very quickly.
"A crew member entered the water to assist a man in difficulties whilst the other two persons appeared to have made it safely to shore.
“As the man’s condition was so serious, it was decided to transfer the casualty to Coble Landing in Filey at top speed by boat to the waiting paramedics who were attending along with both a Coastguard helicopter and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
"In the meantime, Filey’s D Class lifeboat, Braund, with Alex Harrison, Liam Frampton and Katie Pooley as crew, was launched to assist Coastguard teams and paramedics at Reighton with the other two casualties, both of whom were taken to hospital.
“The lifeboat crews quickly launched the Atlantic 85 lifeboat and were able to take advantage of its top speed to reach the casualties so quickly.
“It has been a harrowing experience for everyone and we thank all our volunteers who attended as well as the Coastguard teams, police, paramedics and air crews.”
Coastguards warned that Reighton Gap, which is close to the Reighton Sands holiday park, is notorious for rip tides.
“In the summer of 2019, there were seven call-outs to swimmers who had been swept out in just one week,” a spokesman said.
“Last week, six teenagers were injured after being caught in a rip at Hornsea South Beach and thrown against the groynes, leaving them with cuts, bruising and shock.”
The dad's death currently brings the grim total of drownings in the current heatwave to 22.
A paddleboarder in his 30s drowned in Cornwall after being pulled from the sea, despite efforts to revive him said the local surf lifesaving club.
Newquay RNLI crew, coastguards and an air ambulance crew "worked tirelessly together to try to save the man", said the Crantock Surf Lifesaving Club.
It added: "Our deepest, heartfelt sympathy and thoughts are with the family, friends and all those affected."
Most read in News
A talented teen boxer also drowned in a river yesterday.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Frank Varey, 16, tragically died in the River Dee, Cheshire, with Tyson Fury leading the tributes to the "future star."
A seven-hour search started yesterday at 2.30pm after reports that the teen was missing in the water.
