As the search continues for missing 15-year-old Grace Keeling, an inquest has heard of the bravery of her devoted mother, Sarah Keeling, in her final tragic moments
Devoted mum Sarah Keeling died a hero(Image: Humberside Police)
In her final moments, Sarah Keeling made a desperate attempt to save her 15-year-old daughter Grace, an inquest has found.
Sarah, 45, and Mark Ratcliffe, 67, died as a result of drowning on January 2, with the inquest hearing of the pair’s last heroic act. Humberside Police officers were called to the scene at Central Promenade in Withernsea, East Yorkshire, at 3.15 pm, and after piecing together CCTV footage and multiple witness accounts, the tragic story began to emerge.
Teenager Grace and a friend had been on the steps close to the rocks when she is “believed to have fallen into the water after being swept by a wave”.
Just 30 seconds earlier, the teen had been wave watching with mum Sarah from the top of the steps, as 12-foot waves battered the promenade. Frantic Sarah, who’d been walking their dog on a lead, had just stepped away, but rushed back after hearing Grace cry out, with passersby raising the alarm.
In an act of selfless bravery, Mark Ratcliffe entered the rocky waters to try and save Grace(Image: Humberside Police / SWNS)
By that time, Sarah got back to the steps, and Grace had already been swept almost 100 yards away, further down the beach, with eyewitnesses recalling how she could still be seen on the shoreline.
Showing enormous bravery, Sarah and three other members of the public, including Mark, took immediate action, entering the water to try and rescue the girl. While Sarah managed to get within “inches” of her daughter, she also ended up in trouble in the treacherous waters.
Officers were deployed, along with the coastguard, ambulance, and fire service resources. Bradford-born Mark, who lived in Withernsea, was recovered unconscious from the water during the initial search. A short while later, he was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
The bodies of Mark and Sarah were recovered from the treacherous waters(Image: Donna Clifford/Hull Live)
Later that same evening, the coastguard also recovered the body of Sarah, in a crevice some 100 yards away. Two other selfless men who’d entered to help with the rescue thankfully managed to get back to shore safely, police said. Meanwhile, the search for missing Grace continues.
Inquests into the deaths of both Sarah, who’d been born in Germany but lived in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, and Mark were opened and adjourned at Hull Coroners’ Court this morning (Monday, January 12), with no family members present.
East Yorkshire area coroner Lorraine Harris told the court that married international sales professional Sarah’s primary cause of death had been drowning, and that this was contributed to by head and neck injuries.
The search for missing Grace continues(Image: Hull Live)
The coroner also heard that retired warehouse manager Mark’s primary cause of death was drowning, with chest injuries cited as a contributory factor. Each inquest opening took approximately two minutes, with Ms Harris adjourning both hearings to a date yet to be fixed.
Payng tribute to courageous Mark, his family described him as a “true selfless hero with a heart of gold, who was so cruelly taken trying to save others. So many lives are now shattered that you’re gone. You were loved by so many people, and we will all miss you forever. A loving husband, father, son, brother and the best grandad anybody could ever wish for. Sleep tight, we love you, we miss you.”
