The mum and daughter who drowned in a devastating triple tragedy in sea at Withernsea have been named by police.

Sarah Keeling, 45, and Grace Keeling, 15, were swept out to sea as giant waves, some more than 12 ft, crashed into the promenade.

A statement from Humberside Police said: “Following reports of concerns for safety for people in the water in Withernsea, with the permission of the family, Humberside Police can now confirm that a mother and daughter, 45-year-old Sarah Keeling and 15-year-old Grace Keeling, were involved in this tragic incident, alongside 67-year-old Mark Ratcliffe, a member of the public who died trying to assist with the rescue.

“The bodies of Sarah Keeling and Mark Ratcliffe were recovered on the evening of Friday, 2 January 2026. Searches are still ongoing to locate Grace. Both families continue to be supported by specially trained officers.”

View 4 Images

Rescue crews at the scene in Withernsea(Image: Hull Live)

Grace is believed to have been caught by a rogue wave after going down some concrete steps leading to the beach.

Just 30 seconds earlier she had been wave watching with her mum from the top of the steps but her mum, who was with their dog on a lead, had just stepped away.

Mum Sarah ran back after hearing her daughter cry out and passers by raise the alarm.

By that time she got back to the steps her daughter had been swept almost 100 yards away, further down the beach. Witnesses say she still could be seen on the shoreline.

The mum waded in and is said to have got “inches” away from her daughter but also ended up in trouble, later found by Coastguard in a crevice 100 yards away.

View 4 Images

Mark Ratcliffe gave his live trying to save others(Image: Humberside Police)

Earlier police named the pensioner who died trying to help whose family described as a ‘true selfless hero.’

Paying tribute to Mark Ratcliffe, 67, his family said: “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.”

His son Nigel Ratcliffe, told how proud he was of his “true hero” dad and thanked the emergency services for trying to save him.

Nigel posted on Facebook: “A special thank you to the RNLI, HM coastguards and all the emergency services who did all they could and worked tirelessly and relentlessly in the awful weather conditions. Our thoughts go out to the other lives and families affected in this awful tragedy…”

View 4 Images

Conditions were ‘extremely difficult’, rescue teams said(Image: Hull Live/MEN MEDIA)

He added: “Bye Dad I miss you and I will never forget the true hero and role model you were. I will continue to make you proud. Love You Forever, Nige. “

Rescuers found his dad’s body at 10pm on Friday and they came heartbreakingly close to reaching the girl, with a lifeboat crew diving into the sea despite three metres waves after spotting her.

The men left their little orange rib after spotting the girl but tragically were unable to reach her before she was swept further away in the terrible conditions.

Cafe owner opposite, Paul Whitehead, 60, the owner of Castle Cafe on the promenade, told how he had shown his CCTV footage to police and described: “At first she’s watching the waves with her mum. At first they are watching it together at the top of the steps with the waves crashing.

“But then she (the teen) must have felt it was fun to go down the steps, just chasing the waves, like a lot of youngsters do in Withernsea.

“Her mum stepped away as she had the dog with her. The dog was on a lead. It was just for 30 seconds. That’s all it took.

“There were people on the towers who heard the daughter, so the mum comes running back and has to go to the right of the towers as by now her daughter is in the water and had been taken further down the beach.

“About 100 metres away there’s a slipway and she went down the bottom and tried to retrieve her. But like most terrible accidents it can take seconds.”

The cafe owner said the mum and a member of staff were up to their knees in the water, after leaving the beach as she was quite near the shoreline.

But tragically the mum could not reach her child, and she too was swept away.

“The mum’s actions were instinctive. She was inches away from her daughter, I’m told.

“I’m a dad and you would not hesitate. It’s a tragic accident and the mum’s actions afterwards are completely understandable when you see a young girl in distress to want to help regardless of the potential danger.”