A body has been found during the extensive search for the missing teenager who was swept out to sea on January 2
Floral tributes left at Pier Towers, Withernsea for Grace Keeling, Sarah Keeling and Mark Ratcliffe(Image: Donna Clifford/Hull Live)
Police issued a statement after a body was found as the Withernsea beach was searched for missing teenager Grace Keeling from Nottinghamshire. The discovery happened after the disappearance of the 15-year-old who was swept out to sea in bad weather two weeks ago.
Emergency services and HM Coastguard are in the Holmpton Road area with Humberside Police as the teams attempt to remove the body from among the rocks. The discovery happened on Thursday morning, January 16, but tide times and conditions meant recovery, “could not be immediately carried out”.
Grace was swept out to sea at Withernsea on Friday, January 2 which horrified the East Yorkshire town and her hometown of Sutton in Ashfield. Her mum, Sarah Keeling, 45, dived into the water to save her but lost her life along with 67-year-old passerby Mark Ratcliffe who tried to save them both, reports The Mirror.
The two bodies of Sarah and Mark were recovered on the evening of Friday, January 2. The alarm was raised after 3pm that afternoon, after a multi-agency search and rescue operation involving the coastguard, RNLI, Humberside Police, Humberside Fire and Rescue Service and Yorkshire Ambulance Service.
Sarah Keeling, 45, and Grace Keeling, aged 15(Image: Humberside Police / SWNS)
The search for Grace continued throughout Saturday, January 3 in bad winter weather including snow and freezing temperatures amid Storm Goretti. However it was called off in the late afternoon.
In a statement on Friday, January 16, Detective Superintendent Simon Vickers, of Humberside Police, said: “At around 8.30am [on Thursday], a body was discovered by Humberside Police Search Advisors. However, due to tide times and conditions, despite every effort it was not possible to carry out a safe recovery before high tide. The location was secured overnight using specialist equipment, and a cordon remains in place around the area.
“Today (Friday, January 16), officers and specialist teams have been working to explore every possible option in very complex circumstances to delicately recover the body. However, due to tide times, conditions and the location, the recovery could not be immediately carried out and has therefore been paused until it is safe to resume.
“Whilst no formal identification has taken place at this time, we recognise that this discovery comes after 15-year-old Grace Keeling was swept into the water on Friday, January 2, and extensive searches have followed over the last thirteen days to locate her.
Mark Ratcliffe who died after trying to help two people in the sea in Withernsea(Image: PA)
“I appreciate this update will understandably cause concern to members of the public. However I would like to offer my reassurance that we have a dedicated team of specialists who are doing everything they can in their efforts to carry out the recovery as safely and as quickly as possible.
“Specialist officers have been in contact with Grace’s family to make them aware of this discovery, and we would please ask people to refrain from speculation with consideration and respect for their privacy. We would also ask the public to avoid the area to allow emergency services to work safely.
“Further updates will be provided as soon as we are able to.”
Tributes were paid to Mark described as “a loving husband, father, son, brother and the best grandad anybody could ever wish for”. His family said he was a ‘selfless hero with a heart of gold.’
During the extensive search operation, the tight-knit, community in Withernsea united to support those involved, and tributes including flowers and teddy bears were left at Pier Towers near the scene.
