Heartbreaking Essex Beach Tragedy: Seven-Year-Old Boy Di-e-s as Aunt and Cousin Also Lose Their Lives
A seven-year-old boy suffered a fatal brain injury and drowned in the sea during a day out to the beach on a family holiday, a coroner has heard.
Musa Ahmed died six days after getting into difficulty in the water off West Mersea, Essex, on July 22.
His cousin Sameeha Rahman, 15, and her mother Shelina Rahman, 41, both from Ilford in east London, also died while trying to save him.
Musa, from Romford in Essex, was brought to shore, stabilised and then flown to the Royal London Hospital before he died on July 28, the opening of an inquest into the deaths heard on Thursday.
His two other family members were pronounced dead the scene.
The hearing at Chelmsford County Hall was told the trio had been on a family holiday at the time and that post-mortem examinations had given a provisional cause of death as drowning for all three.
For Musa, hypoxic ischaemic brain injury was also recorded as a provisional cause of death.
Senior coroner for Essex Lincoln Brookes said: ‘Clearly it is so tragic to come across any death of any individual but when three occur at the same time and of the same family, one cannot underestimate the tragic nature of such an incident.’
+4
View gallery
Sameeha Rahman, 15, (pictured with father Dr Mansur Rahman) died alongside her mother when she bravely tried to rescue a young child who had got into difficulty in the water
+4
View gallery
British-Bangladeshi mother Shelina Rahman (pictured), a teacher in her 40s, and her 15-year-old daughter also died
+4
View gallery
Emergency services at the scene after the incident in West Mersea on July 22
Mr Brookes offered his ‘deepest condolences’ to the family, friends and loved ones of the victims.
The family previously said in a statement: ‘We would also like to thank the Royal London Hospital intensive care unit team of doctors and nurses who demonstrated outstanding care and dignity for whilst we have been at the hospital.
‘We would also like to thank the whole community for their support and prayers.
‘We would appreciate privacy during this very difficult time.’
Essex Police said officers were called by the ambulance service at 5.35pm on July 22 following reports that several people had got into difficulty in the water near Seaview Avenue.
The East of England Ambulance Service said one patient was transported by air and three taken by road to hospital after the incident at Sea View Holiday Park.
Musa’s father Shahin Ahmed previously released a statement in which he called for ‘a review of safety measures’ at the site.
‘I strongly agree with the calls from local residents for a review of safety measures at West Mersea Beach, including the provision of additional life–saving equipment and clear warning signage,’ he said.
+4
View gallery
Two police officers are pictured at the scene in West Mersea, Essex, in July
‘While no action now can undo the pain we are suffering, we hope lessons can be learned to help prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future.’
Labour MP Naz Shah, for Bradford West, also paid a personal tribute to Ms Rahman and her daughter.
She told the Daily Mail: ‘I’m devastated. They’re a lovely, lovely family, I’m absolutely heartbroken for them, it’s sent shockwaves through the community.
‘I just can’t believe what’s happened. I’ve spoken to the family, and I just broke down – I’ve got a 14-year-old myself.
‘I would just reiterate to people to follow water safety advice. And my thanks to the emergency services [who responded to the incident].’
The coroner adjourned the inquest to January 19, 2027.
