Arrested man released after two children die at Bournemouth beach - live updates

Dorset Police release man arrested earlier in investigation

A man in his 40s who was earlier arrested by police in Dorset on suspicion of manslaughter has been released under investigation, it has been confirmed.

The man had been on the water at the time of yesterday's tragedy.

Investigating police say enquiries are ongoing.

Detective Chief Superintendent Neil Corrigan, of Dorset Police said: "Our thoughts remain very much with the loved ones of the two young people at this horrendous time and we are doing all we can to support their families.

“We are continuing with our investigation, which is still at the early stages, and would ask people not to speculate about the circumstances surrounding the incident to both protect our enquiries and out of respect for the victims’ families."

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(Max Willcock/BNPS)

Boat impounded by Dorset Police pictured surrounded by police cars

Earlier today police impounded the Dorset Belle which was taken to Poole under a police cordon.

Outrage as abandoned baby found in pram on beach, with mum off for a coffee

New pictures of the pleasure cruiser show it docked with a police cruiser nearby.

(MaxWillcock/BNPS)

Hero who tried to save girl, 12, knew it did 'not look good' as he carried her on the beach

Hero student Mackenzie Creech had tried to save a 12-year-old girl from the sea but admitted he had known it "didn't look good" as he carried her on the beach.

The 18-year-old had been enjoying the sunshine with his friends when they heard screams coming from the pier at the popular tourist spot.

After noticing a girl in the water, the teenager rushed towards the sea with a friend and they tried to drag her back to the beach.

Sadly, there was nothing Mackenzie and his friend could do to.

Read more here

(PA)

Police 'seal off and search pleasure boat' after water tragedy

Police investigating the tragic deaths of two children have sealed off a pleasure boat said to have been making trips at the time.

Officers this afternoon impounded a pleasure boat known as the Dorset Belle which is being kept under a police cordon in Poole.

A source said: "This vessel is under a police cordon."

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(Alamy Stock Photo)

Mass brawl of '50 youths with weapons' erupts on Bournemouth beach

A mass brawl of 50 young people broke out on a Bournemouth beach the day after two children tragically died.

Dorset Police was called to the beach near Bournemouth Pier at 3pm today and one person was detained.

The force said a young person who was at the scene has been treated for minor injuries and enquiries are ongoing.

The young people involved in the brawl reportedly had "bats and weapons", it was claimed on social media.

More here

(PA)

MP demands police release more details in Bournemouth tragedy

Dorset Police has been urged to release more details about yesterday’s tragedy by the town’s MP.

Tobias Ellwood says the thousands of visitors to the resort’s beaches need reassurances.

He said: “This is a tragic incident and the police clearly have to do their investigation and that is understood.

"I would encourage them to give more clarity as to the general details of this tragedy to help assure beachgoers that this occurrence is unlikely to happen again.

“It will place this event into context while reassuring people that it is safe to visit our beautiful beaches."

(Getty Images)

'It was just awful' - eye witness shares

Howard Cohen, from London, was at the beach at the time of the tragedy.

The witness said: "I could see a lot of commotion going on; there were a lot of ambulances, police and people rushing to the beach.

"Later on they cleared the beach. At the time there was a lot of panic going on with the police and ambulance.

"It was just awful."

People at scene 'filmed CPR on phones' says eyewitness

One eyewitness to the incident on Bournemouth beach yesterday said she saw members of the public running towards those recieving treatment to film the incident on their phones.

Recalling the scene, which she likened to a "horror film", 43-year-old Nicola Holton said: "When we first spotted the swimmers in distress they were far out to the east side of the pier.

"A lifeguard ran into the water with a surfboard and it seemed to take ages for him to get to them. There was an announcement to get out of the water and then the lifeguards started bringing people back to shore.

"A few were taken to the lifeguard tent and then we saw the young man and girl brought out. We were packing up our things to leave as quickly as we could. It was just awful.

"There were loads of idiots ignoring lifeguard requests to get out of the water and clear the beach. People were running towards those having CPR filming on their phones."

Everything we know - and don't know - about mysterious Bournemouth beach deaths

Mystery still surrounds the deaths of two children in the sea off Bournemouth beach yesterday afternoon - with police arresting a man on suspicion of manslaughter.

A boy, aged 17, from Southampton, and a girl, 12, from Buckinghamshire, were pronounced dead after being dragged from the water and airlifted to hospital.

Dorset Police have confirmed a man in his 40s was detained, but the circumstances of the tragedy remain unclear.

Emergency crews were called to the scene on North Beach at around 4.30pm, with a total of 10 people rescued from the water.

The area was evacuated and cordoned off as paramedics and lifeguards performed CPR.

However, investigators say those involved were not jumping from the pier and a vessel - including a jet ski - did not strike any of the victims.

Read more here.

(Max Willcock/BNPS)

No vessel made 'physical contact' with victims of beach tragedy, police say

No vessel is believed to have been in “physical contact” with a 17-year-old boy and 12-year-old girl who died after getting into difficulty in the sea off Bournemouth beach, according to Dorset Police.

It comes after a man who was 'on the water' at the time of the incident on Wednesday was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

Describing the scene during yesterday's tragedy, one eyewitness told local media that "people started gathering around" as the a young man was brought onto the beach.

She said: "It got really chaotic when they brought a young man back to shore on a lifeguard jet ski. It was obvious he wasn't alive. That's when people started gathering around and the lifeguards were trying to clear the beach at the same time as helping the others in the water.

(PA)

Wash of passing vessel 'could have caused tragedy'

The wash of a water craft may have 'created the dangerous conditions' that led to the deaths of two children in the sea, an MP has said.

Conor Burns said he understood that a 'surface vessel' was in the sea around Bournemouth Pier at the time of the 12-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy got into difficulty.

The Conservative MP for Bournemouth West said: "It would seem not a far freach to draw a conclusion that while the vessel may not have physically touched the young people perhaps it created the conditions which made being in the water more dangerous by the speed it was going."

Dorset police have arrested a man who was 'on the water' at the time of suspicion of the manslaughter of the two children.

Victims were not related, say police

In a press conference held on Bournemouth seafront today, assistant Chief Constable Rachel Farrell confirmed that a 17-year-old boy from Southampton and a 12-year-old girl from Buckinghamshire were had died following an incident in the sea Wednesday.

She also said the victims are not related.

The other eight people involved in the emergency rescue were treated by ambulance at the scene.

Chief Constable Rachel Farrell added: "I would sincerely like to thank members of the public who helped people in trouble in the water.

(PA)

Air ambulances at Bournemouth beach

Video taken yesterday afternoon shows an air ambulance circling Bournemouth beach after a horror tragedy left two teenagers dead and eight more people needing treatment.

Part of the beach in the Dorset town was evacuated yesterday following reports of a "major incident" and a large emergency services response.

A police cordon was later put in place around the area as inquiries continue.

Bournemouth beach tragedy must have been 'terrifying' experience

Councillor Vikki Slade, leader of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, said the incident in the sea that left two teenagers dead on Wednesday must have been a "terrifying" experience.

She said: "Again I want to add our sincere condolences to the families of the children who lost their lives, and our thoughts are with the families of the young people that were in the water.

"It must have been a really terrifying experience for everybody.

"The services worked incredibly well together. Our staff on the beach all rallied round to support the emergency services."

She said there are additional staff available for the public on the beach on Thursday and over the weekend, adding that the council wanted to make sure the RNLI are "very visible" and that teams are available there to support people.

(DorsetLive/BPM)

Two children dead after 'major incident' at Bournemouth beach as man arrested

A man has been arrested for manslaughter after two children died following an incident at a Bournemouth beach.

A 17-year-old boy, from Southampton, and a girl, 12, from Buckinghamshire, were pulled from the water before being rushed to hospital where they were pronounced dead.

The circumstances remain unclear, however police have confirmed a man in his 40s was detained amid the the horror on North Beach yesterday.

During a lunchtime press briefing today, assistant chief constable Rachel Farrell also confirmed the victims were not related and not known to each other.

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Teenager desperately tried to save girl, 12, after finding her in sea

A teenager was the first person to find a 12-year-old girl floating dead in the water at Bournemouth beach yesterday, his father revealed.

The child and an older boy, aged 17, both died during the tragedy which has since seen a man in his 40s arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

Dorset Police have confirmed a vessel does not appear to have struck the pair - though there is some speculation they drowned after being caught up in the wash of a jet ski.

The beach was packed with families during the half-term heatwave, but the incident saw everyone evacuated as air ambulances landed on the sand.

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(Max Willcock/BNPS)

Bournemouth beach cops say nobody jumped from pier as mystery deepens over kids' deaths

Police say there is "no suggestion" anybody jumped off the pier prior to the tragic deaths of two children in the sea off Bournemouth beach yesterday.

A man in his 40s who was 'on the water' at the time has been arrested for the manslaughter of the 12-year-old girl, from Buckinghamshire, and 17-year-old boy, from Southampton.

The two victims suffered 'critical' injuries in the incident that happened next to Bournemouth Pier on one of the hottest days of the year.

During a lunchtime press briefing today, assistant chief constable Rachel Farrell also confirmed the victims were not related and not known to each other.

Read more here.

(PA)