Luton teen dies two days after Clacton sea rescue

11 August 2019, 10:53 | Updated: 11 August 2019, 11:21

An 18 year-old man from Bedfordshire has died in hospital after getting into difficulty in the sea at Clacton earlier this week.

Haider Shamas, from Luton, passed away yesterday.

Haider and two relatives got into difficulty near Clacton Pier on Thursday afternoon; his sister Malika also died on Thursday.

Witnesses previously described "distressing" scenes as lifeguards and paramedics scrambled to help the three teenagers after they were spotted struggling near Marine Parade.

Several members of the public supported the rescue effort and two other people were also treated at the beach, but did not need to be taken to hospital.

Witness Becky Bryant, 40, a carer from Wivenhoe said:

"It was so distressing, everyone was trying to do what they could - lifeguards, air ambulance, they truly worked as a team."

She said the three teenagers were with a group of up to 30 people at the beach.

All three teenagers were taken to Colchester General Hospital.

Floral tributes had been left on railings by the beach on Friday.

Another teenage relative - a 15 year old girl - is expected to make a full recovery.

The incident happened little more than a year after 15 year-old Ben Quartermaine drowned near the pier.