Bournemouth beach tragedy: No vessel was involved in children drowning, marine investigators say

No vessel was involved in the deaths of two children who drowned in the sea off Bournemouth beach, marine investigators have confirmed.

Sunnah Khan, 12, from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, and Joe Abbess, 17, from Southampton, Hampshire, were pulled from the water near the pier on the afternoon of Wednesday 31 May.

They were airlifted to hospital but died a short time later.

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said on Tuesday (27 June) that no formal investigation will be launched following the deaths as "it did not involve a vessel".

In a statement, a spokesperson for the MAIB said: “Having conducted a thorough preliminary assessment of the circumstances of this tragic accident the MAIB has decided that no formal investigation will be launched.

"This was a truly tragic accident but our understanding of the circumstances is that it did not involve a vessel and therefore is not something the Branch would investigate.”

Emergency services including the RNLI, coastguard, police and air ambulance descended on the popular beach on Wednesday 31 May during half term.

Eight other people who were also rescued from the water, were treated at the scene.

Miss Khan and Mr Abbess were airlifted to hospital where they died a short while later.

Inquests into their deaths were formally opened and adjourned by the Bournemouth coroner on 5 June, with initial post-mortem examinations revealing the provisional cause of death for both of them was drowning, due to a sudden riptide in the sea at the time of the tragedy.

A man aged in his 40s who was on the water at the time was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

He was released under investigation pending further enquiries.

Two days after the tragedy, a pleasure boat, the Dorset Belle, was impounded by police as part of their investigation into the deaths.

The vessel, based at Cobbs Quay Marina in Poole was sealed off and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council confirmed that the boat was not licensed by the local authority.

ITV News understands the Dorset Belle will no longer serve Bournemouth Pier.

Boat operations from Bournemouth Pier were suspended following the tragedy.

A spokesperson for Dorset Police said: "Dorset Police is continuing to investigate the circumstances of an incident on Wednesday 31 May 2023 that saw two young people tragically die after being recovered from the sea off Bournemouth beach. 

"We are continuing to work with experts and partner agencies to understand the circumstances of the incident and this will take time to establish.

"The arrested man remains released under investigation while enquiries continue.

"We are doing all we can to support the families of those involved and they are being kept updated by specially trained family liaison officers about our investigation."

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