Inquest opens into death of Grace Keeling, 15, swept into sea

An inquest into the death of a 15-year-old girl who was swept into the sea off the East Yorkshire coast earlier this month has been opened.

Grace Keeling went into the water at Withernsea on 2 January. Her mother, Sarah Keeling, 45, and passer-by Mark Ratcliffe, 67, both died while attempting to save her.

Grace’s body was discovered at about 08:30 GMT on 15 January on rocks at Withernsea beach after two weeks of extensive searches, but it was not possible to safely recover her before high tide on 17 January, Humberside Police said.

The inquest into Grace’s death opened at Hull Coroner’s Court on Thursday and was adjourned until a later date.

A police spokesperson said: ”Formal identification has now taken place, and we can confirm the body discovered in Withernsea on Thursday 15 January to be 15-year-old Grace Keeling.”

Officers said they had been able to recover the 15-year-old’s body with the help of HM Coastguard and Humberside Fire and Rescue Service.

Humberside Police thanked everyone who had offered help or assisted in the search.

Police had previously said that, from trawling through CCTV and speaking to multiple witnesses, it was understood Grace and a friend were on the steps near to the rocks in Withernsea when she was “believed to have fallen into the water after being swept by a wave”.

A major operation was launched at 15:10 GMT on 2 January following reports of people in the water.

It involved HM Coastguard, emergency services and the RNLI, and included helicopters and lifeboats.

Ratcliffe, from Withernsea, was pulled unconscious from the sea and died at the scene.

In a tribute, his family described him as a “true selfless hero with a heart of gold, who was so cruelly taken trying to save others”.

The body of Sarah Keeling, from Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, was recovered later the same evening.