A tragic incident occurred in Withernsea where a mother and daughter, identified as Sarah Keeling, 45, and Grace Keeling, 15, lost their lives after being swept out to sea by large waves. Additionally, a 67-year-old man named Mark Ratcliffe also perished while attempting to help with the rescue operation.
Sarah and Mark’s bodies were recovered on the evening of Friday, January 2, 2026, but Grace is still missing as search efforts continue. It is believed that Grace was caught by a sudden wave while descending concrete steps leading to the beach.
Witnesses reported that Grace was initially with her mother, watching the waves from the top of the steps. However, when Grace ventured down to the beach, she was quickly carried away by the water. Her mother, Sarah, rushed to her aid but tragically found herself in distress as well.
Mark Ratcliffe, the Good Samaritan who lost his life trying to assist, was hailed as a selfless hero by his family. They expressed deep sorrow over his untimely passing and praised his noble character.
Despite valiant efforts from emergency services, including the RNLI and coastguards, the tragic outcome could not be averted. Nigel Ratcliffe, Mark’s son, paid tribute to his father as a true hero and expressed gratitude for the rescue attempts.
An eyewitness, Paul Whitehead, recounted the heartbreaking events captured on CCTV, detailing the sequence of events that led to the devastating outcome. The community mourns the loss of three individuals involved in this heartbreaking incident.
