Body recovered in search for girl missing at sea

A body has been recovered in the search for a missing girl, 15, who was swept into the sea off the East Yorkshire coast, Humberside Police has said.

Grace Keeling went into the water at Withernsea on 2 January. Her mother, Sarah Keeling, 45, and passer-by Mark Ratcliffe, 67, both died after trying to save her.

While formal identification is yet to take place, police said they believed this person to be Grace Keeling.

Det Supt Simon Vickers said: “This was a deeply upsetting incident, and I cannot begin to understand the heartbreak felt by all the loved ones of those involved.”

Vickers said they had spoken to Grace Keeling’s family and updated them, and were continuing to support them with specially trained officers.

“Understandably, they have asked for their privacy, and we would ask that this is respected,” he said.

Police said her body was discovered at about 08:30 GMT on Thursday following extensive searches over the past 14 days but said it was not possible to recover the body immediately due to the tide times, conditions and location.

Officers said they were able to do so safely on Saturday morning, with the help of HM Coastguard and Humberside Fire and Rescue Service.

Humberside Police thanked everyone who had offered or assisted in the search.

Vickers added: “Our thoughts and sincere sympathies will always remain with the families of Grace and Sarah Keeling, and Mark Ratcliffe following this utter tragedy.”

Police had previously said that, from trawling through CCTV and speaking to multiple witnesses, it was understood that Grace Keeling and a friend were on the steps near to the rocks when she was “believed to have fallen into the water after being swept by a wave”.

Ratcliffe, from Withernsea, was pulled unconscious from the sea and died at the scene.

The body of Sarah Keeling, from Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, was recovered later the same evening.