Wayne Taylor, a father who lost his life while attempting to rescue his two children from the sea at Seaton Carew beach in Hartlepool, has been identified as the victim of a tragic drowning incident on Sunday, July 12. A second man also died during the rescue attempt.
Incident Details
The tragedy unfolded when two children got into difficulty in the water during a family outing. Mr. Taylor entered the sea alongside fellow beachgoer Davey Short and another man, who has not been named. Despite their efforts, Mr. Taylor and the unnamed man perished. The RNLI was alerted and arrived at the scene at approximately 3:45 PM, recovering both men from the water. Emergency services pronounced them dead shortly after.
The two children were brought to safety and taken to hospital as a precaution, but they did not sustain serious injuries, according to the Daily Record.
Eyewitness Account
Davey Short, who also waded into the water to assist, described the desperate scene to The Mirror. He said: "There were three children at the beach with their mam and dad, a boy aged 15, a second boy aged 11 or 12 and a younger girl. The two younger kids were in the sea and started to struggle." He added: "I saw a second figure next to the boy and he was face down in the water. I discovered afterward the children's father had gone in to rescue them, was swept away, and didn't get back out. A second man had also gone in and he drowned as well. He had been out walking his dog with his partner and he ran in to help. She saw the whole thing, it's devastating to think about that."
Short continued: "I was the third person to go into the water. The children's mother was on the beach, she was hysterical and asking if I could help because she couldn't swim. Her eldest son had gone into the water as well to try to rescue his brother and sister but they were still out there. I managed to swim out and get hold of the boy."
Police Statement
Superintendent Glen Ward of Cleveland Police expressed condolences: "Our deepest sympathies go out to the families of both the men involved in this tragic incident today. Despite the best efforts of emergency services, sadly both men were pronounced dead a short time after being brought out of the sea." He added: "We are conducting enquiries into the circumstances of what happened today, although the deaths are not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the Coroner." Ward also warned: "I would like to remind everyone that open water comes with serious risks. We know it is inviting in the hot weather, but we would encourage people to refrain from entering any open water at all. Today we have sadly seen the true tragedy that can happen as a result. Please take extra care and enjoy the warm weather as safely as possible."
Tributes and Fundraiser
Tributes have poured in for Mr. Taylor online. One family friend wrote on Facebook: "Wayne Taylor (Tim) as the lads would say, you know what they say god only takes the best and that you was, thanks so much for being the most amazing best friend to my Liam, you really did mean so much to him." The tribute continued: "I promise to look after our Jade and be there for them all as much as myself and Liam can, because for only the short two years I knew you, you was definitely one of a kind. RIP mate, absolute hero. And RIP to that other gentleman too, my thoughts and prayers are with your loved ones right now."
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to assist Mr. Taylor's family with funeral expenses and to support his children. As of the latest update, over £31,000 has been raised.
