Body found after teenager who ‘posed for photo’ was swept away into the sea

A body has been discovered after a 15-year-old girl was swept out to sea during stormy weather two weeks ago.

Grace Keeling, 15, went missing after falling into the water at Withernsea, on the East Yorkshire coast, on January 2.

A friend told Metro that Grace was swept away by a large wave after her mum, Sarah, asked to take a photo of her by the coastline.

Sarah then jumped in to save her and was followed by a heroic passer-by Mark Ratcliffe.

Both Sarah and Mark died in the incident. Their bodies were recovered soon afterwards.

Humberside Police said emergency services tried to retrieve a body, which was found among the rocks on the beach on Thursday morning, but were unsuccessful due to tide times and other conditions. 

Grace’s family have been informed by specialist officers, who asked people to ‘refrain from speculation’ and ‘respect their privacy’. 

Emergency services have cordoned off part of Holmpton Road and remain at the scene. 

Detective Superintendent Simon Vickers said yesterday’s discovery followed 13 days of ‘extensive searches’.

‘Officers and specialist teams have been working to explore every possible option in very complex circumstances to delicately recover the body,’ he added. 

‘Due to tide times, conditions and the location, the recovery could not be immediately carried out and has therefore been paused until it is safe to resume.

‘Whilst no formal identification has taken place at this time, we recognise that this discovery comes after 15-year-old Grace Keeling was swept into the water on Friday January 2 2026, and extensive searches have followed over the last 13 days to locate her.’

East Yorkshire area coroner Lorraine Harris opened inquests into the death of Sarah and Mark last week.

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

Sarah and three other members of the public, including Mark, immediately entered the water in an effort to save her.

Police said officers were deployed along with coastguards, ambulance and fire service resources.

Mark was recovered unconscious from the water during the initial searches. He was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later, the force said.

Sarah’s body was then found by the coastguard the same evening.

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