A 15-YEAR-OLD girl and her mum who were swept out to sea by a freak wave have been named and pictured for the first time.
Rescue crews launched a major operation when a group disappeared in the water near Withernsea, off the East Yorkshire coast on Friday afternoon.
Now, cops have confirmed that a mother and daughter, 45-year-old Sarah Keeling and 15-year-old Grace Keeling, were two of the people involved in the tragic incident.
Sarah’s body was sadly recovered on Friday as well as the body of a man who was named earlier today as Mark Ratcliffe, cops revealed.
Ratcliffe, 67, was found unconscious in the water on Friday 2 January and died a short time later.
However, searches are still ongoing to locate Grace.
Both families continue to be supported by specially trained officers.
His family have released a grieving tribute hailing Mark as “a true selfless hero with a heart of gold, who was so cruelly taken trying to save others.”
It is understood that Mark leapt into action to rescue people who were struggling in “horrendous” conditions in the freezing water off the east coast.
Emergency services were scrambled to the area and Mark was pulled unconscious from the sea by rescuers.
Tragically, despite the best efforts of paramedics, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The incident resulted in a major search involving a rescue helicopter, air ambulance and RNLI crews from Withernsea, Bridlington and Hornsea Inshore Rescue.
Rescue teams could be seen battling “three-metre waves” and fading daylight in “bitter” conditions off the east coast as they worked to save other people from the water.
Police tape sealed off the steep steps down to sea underneath the town’s famous Pier Towers following the tragedy.
A steady stream of well wishers came past to lay flowers and to pay their respects to those who had died.
