Cordon in placepublished at 07:43 BST 23 July
Coastguard tape remains in place on the beach this morning.
However, there are no emergency services at the scene.
Image source, Tom Larsen-Wright/BBCSummary
A mother and daughter who died at a beach in Essex are named by family as Shally Rahman, 41, and Samiha Rahman, 15
Police believe they were trying to help a seven-year-old boy who had got into difficulty
He remains in a serious condition - three other people were also taken to hospital after the incident on Wednesday
The coastguard was called at about 17:35 BST - one witness says she saw three people appearing to get CPR
"It was absolutely horrific," says the witness, who praises the emergency services for their rescue efforts
Another witness says a man swam out three times to try to save the group: "Two of the children he brought back were not in good condition"
Cordon in placepublished at 07:43 BST 23 July
Image source, Tom Larsen-Wright/BBCWhat we know so farpublished at 07:39 BST 23 July
A huge emergency service response got under way on the beach in Mersea, Essex on Wednesday evening.
Here's what we know so far:
- West Mersea Coastguard Rescue Team alongside West Mersea RNLI were first on the scene
- The Coastguard called it a "tragic incident" and said its thoughts were with relatives of those involved
- Essex Police, paramedics, the air ambulance and the fire service were also in attendance in the seaside town, near Colchester
- There has been no confirmation of the exact nature of the incident
- The BBC has contacted Essex Police, HM Coastguard and the East of England Ambulance Service for more details
Stay with us as we bring you more details.