Heartbreaking new details emerge of how Bournemouth beach victims may have died

05 June 2023 , 22:24

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Joe, a trainee chef, was taken to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital where he was pronounced dead, and Sunnah was taken to Poole General Hospital

Heartbreaking new details have emerged into how the young victims at Bournemouth beach may have died.

Joe Abbess, a 17-year-old from Southampton, and Sunnah Khan, a 12-year-old from Buckinghamshire, were rescued from the sea during the incident on Wednesday, but both died later in hospital.

Joe, a trainee chef, was taken to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital where he was pronounced dead, and Sunnah was taken to Poole General Hospital.

Now it has been reported that the youngsters may have waded out to a sandbar before being tipped off by the wash of a passing passenger ferry vessel causing strong waves.

Joe, a trainee chef, was taken to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital where he was pronounced dead (Police Handout)

Sunnah was taken to Poole General Hospital. (Stephanie Williams/Twitter)

A source told The Sun: “They were on a sandbar to the east o the pier when the Dorset Belle came moored alongside the pier. It created a riptide which deluged everyone on the sandbar and effectively forced them further out to sea.”

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In a hearing to open the inquest proceedings at Bournemouth Town Hall, Dorset coroner's officer Nicola Muller said that post mortem examinations carried out by Home Office pathologist Basil Purdue showed the cause of their deaths was drowning.

Describing the incident, Ms Muller said: "The brief circumstances are that emergency services were contacted by members of the public following swimmers had come into difficulty in the water, following suggestion they had been caught in a riptide."

Rachael Griffin, senior coroner for Dorset, said: "I understand there is an ongoing police investigation, despite that, I have already submitted the appropriate paperwork and released both Joe's and Sunnah's bodies for the purposes of their funerals.

Flowers left at the beach beside the pier (Max Willcock/BNPS)

"In relation to that ongoing police investigation, I am unable to make any progress in my inquiries.

"It's very important people do not speculate on the circumstances surrounding Joe and Sunnah's deaths and allow the police investigation to proceed, which will allow my investigation to proceed.

"I would like to take this opportunity to offer my sincere condolences to Joe and Sunnah's families, my thoughts are very much with them at this difficult time following this tragedy.

"My thoughts are also with those who attended or witnessed the traumatic events."

Abigail O'Leary