A mother and daughter have been confirmed as victims in the tragic incident in the sea at Withernsea, police have said.
With the permission of the family, Humberside Police confirmed that 45-year-old Sarah Keeling and her 15-year-old daughter, Grace Keeling, from Nottinghamshire, were involved, alongside 67-year-old local man Mark Ratcliffe, a member of the public who died after entering the water in an attempt to help.
The bodies of Sarah and Mark were recovered on the evening of Friday, January 2. Searches are continuing for Grace.
Both families are being supported by specially trained officers.
Paying tribute to Mr Ratcliffe, his family described him as “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,” the tribute said.
“A loving husband, father, son, brother and the best grandad anybody could ever wish for. Sleep tight, we love you, we miss you.”
Mr Ratcliffe’s family have requested that their privacy and time to grieve is respected, and that they will not be making any further comment at this time.
The search operation off the coast at Withernsea was fully stood down by HM Coastguard at about 4pm on Saturday, January 3, with police now leading the ongoing investigation.
The major emergency response was first launched on Friday afternoon after reports of people in difficulty in the water near the Pier Towers.
Police were called to the scene at around 3.15pm, with HM Coastguard confirming the first alert was received at about 3.10pm. A massive multi-agency operation was quickly deployed, involving police, fire, ambulance and maritime rescue services.