Tragedy as boy swept out to sea while playing with pals ‘just 11 minutes’ after lifeguards clocked off before body found

A TEENAGE boy has died after he was swept out to sea while playing with his friends just 11 minutes after the lifeguards clocked off. Emergency services scoured the coast just off Hornsea, East Yorkshire, before the boy’s body was pulled from the water in the early hours of this morning. Emergency services scoured the coast just off Hornsea, East Yorkshire Credit: YappApp The sea was said to be “rough and windy” on Tuesday evening Credit: YappApp HM Coastguard were first on the scene following reports the boy had vanished at 6.11pm, just 11 minutes after the lifeguards had finished up. The sea was said to be “rough and windy” on Tuesday evening. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! A female eyewitness said: “The coastguards came flying down, I remember checking the time because I thought the lifeguards are still here. “But it was 11 minutes past six and they knock off at six. The lifeguards had only just left. It was only just after they had clocked off unfortunately. He was swept out to sea while playing with his friends just 11 minutes after the lifeguards clocked off Credit: YappApp HM Coastguard were first on the scene following reports the boy had vanished at 6.11pm Credit: YappApp “There were people stood on the wall looking. The coastguards had their binoculars out looking. Then the cavalry arrived – helicopters, ambulances, police and all sorts. “There were four out in the sea, and three were rescued. I think he must have swept this way because they came further up. “It was pretty rough seas and windy. The air ambulance landed on a field nearby. I don’t think they were surfing, “They were just in the sea because they were very young, We saw them when they came up. They were just playing in the sea. Most read in The Sun “I don’t think they were around here because they did not appear to know a lot about sea safety. It’s a shame because all season the lifeguards have had a sign up warning people of rip tides. “They would have been safer if they were on this part of the beach unfortunately. But they could not see the sign from where they were. “The emergency services were so quick to respond. They just could not see him or find where he was. It is all it takes – a split second.” Another male eyewitness said: “They shut down the seafront. There were a load of ambulances and the police came down. “The helicopter was going up and down all night. They sent a coastguard plane down later on. “The police bought the surviving kids up here eventually. I saw one go away in an ambulance because he was there for quite a while.” The other two children were reportedly taken away in a police car. “I did not see any parents. They would probably have come up the Pennine Trail from Hull. It is the closest seaside town to Hull,” he added. “There is always groups of kids from Hull on their bike. It is a relatively safe journey because you have just got the Trail.” Two helicopters were involved in the search along with lifeboats from Bridlington and Hornsea. Enquiries are ongoing to piece together exactly what happened. Anyone with information that could assist the investigation is asked to contact the police right away. Chief Superintendent Phil Booker, of Humberside Police, said: “After receiving the report, officers were immediately deployed alongside other emergency services and upon attending, it was discovered that a 13-year-old boy had reportedly got into difficulty whilst swimming in the water. “Our priority now is to find the boy, and members of the public can expect to see specialist Police Search Advisors (POLSA), along with our Marine Unit and drone pilots, who have also been deployed to conduct an extensive search and rescue operation to locate him. “We would urge people to please avoid the area where possible to allow emergency services to work efficiently and safely, and refrain from speculating on the circumstances of the incident. “Our enquiries continue to ascertain the full circumstances around the report, and we would ask anyone with any information that may assist us.” Police said any witnesses should contact them via their non-emergency number 101 quoting log 415 of 4 August.