Yesterday afternoon at Seaton Carew beach, two men saw children struggling in the sea and did what countless ordinary Britons have done for generations. They went in to help. Both paid with their lives.
Cleveland Police received reports of the children in difficulty just after 3:45pm on 12 July. Within minutes two men had entered the water in an attempt to reach them. RNLI crews recovered the men, but they were pronounced dead a short time later. The children were brought safely to shore, taken to hospital for checks, and found to have no serious injuries.
This was not a story of failure by the services tasked with keeping us safe. North East Ambulance Service dispatched three ambulance crews, a clinical team leader, a duty officer, three Hazardous Area Response Team crews and called in the Great North Air Ambulance Service by road. Two patients were taken to North Tees Hospital. The system worked as it should. Yet the sea claimed two lives all the same.
Superintendent Glen Ward of Cleveland Police put it plainly in a statement released that day. "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. 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."
He continued with a message that deserves wider hearing: "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."