Woman drowns trying to save son and his friend as they struggled while kayaking during family beach outing
A woman in her 30s died in the sea while trying to save her son and his friend. The deceased woman, identified as Danni, jumped into the water to save the boys who were struggling in a kayak off the Norfolk coast and then started drowning.
Danni was rescued from the sea after being caught out by the strong current at Waxham, Norfolk. Shocked beachgoers at the scene tried to revive her before paramedics arrived for help, but all went in vain as she was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. According to reports, the victim was enjoying with her close ones on Sunday, August 9, in the evening when the tragedy happened. At the time of the incident, the beach was full of sun-lovers on one of the hottest days of the year.
Onlookers have said that they believe Danni leaped into the sea to help her son and his friend after they faced issues while kayaking. As soon as HM Coastguard received “multiple calls” about several people in the water who need help, emergency services including Coastguard teams, ambulances, local paramedics, and a rescue helicopter were sent to the beach. The mother was rescued from the water by a witness while the boys were also brought safely back to the shore. It has been said that the woman along with her family was staying at a local campsite next to the water.
A woman who was present at the scene when the tragedy took place wrote on social media: “I saw them having fun on the kayak and then saw them get in trouble so I called the coastguard. Two heroes went in and saved the boys, but she also went in and was bought by someone called Finn with a surfboard. Absolute hero! Two ladies were there also and they all started giving CPR with a coastguard. Then the paramedics took over for about an hour.”
“Poor lads were watching the whole thing and will be traumatized for life. I'm utterly devastated for them all and want to help as much as I can. I never thought I'd see anything like that. Saw it from beginning to end. My friend who is a strong swimmer was in the exact same spot and managed to get out because she is a super strong swimmer,” the witness added.
While a Norfolk Police spokesperson said: “Investigations are continuing after a woman died after getting into difficulties at Waxham on Sunday. Emergency services were called at around 5:30 pm following reports of a woman struggling while in the sea.”
Superintendent Jason Broome from Norfolk Police said, “Colleagues from Norfolk Coastguard and the East of England Ambulance Service assisted officers with the incident. A woman, aged in her 30s, was recovered from the water and she was sadly pronounced dead on arrival at hospital. Her death is being treated as unexplained but not suspicious. While inquiries are continuing to establish the exact circumstances leading up to the woman's death, this is a tragic situation and our condolences are with her family.”
HM Coastguard also gave a statement as a spokesperson for it stated: “We received multiple 999 calls just after 5 pm reporting multiple persons in the water at Waxham. We tasked Sea Palling independent lifeboat and Bacton and Winterton coastguard teams and the rescue helicopter from Humberside to the scene. All persons were recovered from the water.”