A seven-year-old boy has died following an incident at an Essex beach that killed his teenage cousin and her mother.
The family of Musa Ahmed say that he died “in a state of ease and peace” at the Royal London Hospital on Tuesday evening.
That came six days after he was pulled from the water after he and five relatives got into trouble during a family trip to West Mersea, Essex, on 22 July.
His aunt, 41-year-old Shelina Rahman, and cousin Sameeha, 15, both died at the scene.
The family had travelled to the beach from Ilford in east London for a day out.
Musa’s family released a statement on Wednesday confirming his death.
“We would also like to thank the Royal London Hospital intensive care unit team of doctors and nurses who demonstrated outstanding care and dignity for whilst we have been at the hospital,” they said.
“We would also like to thank the whole community for their support and prayers.
“We would appreciate privacy during this very difficult time.”
Essex Police earlier said that all the family members made “significant efforts to help each other” when they got into trouble.
A number of other family members were admitted to hospital following the incident, the force said.
Detective Chief Inspector Al Pitcher, who leads the investigation, said on Tuesday: “We are continuing to support Shelina and Sameeha’s family through this extremely difficult time.
“They had been enjoying a family day at the beach together when this tragedy happened.
“We are working to establish the circumstances which led up to this incident and our inquiries are ongoing.
“We have spoken to a number of key witnesses and will continue to do so over the coming days and will work with partners including the fire service, local council, and coastguard.”
Chief Inspector Michelle Sparks, district commander for Colchester, earlier thanked the local community for their response to the incident.
“There were members of the public who rushed to help the family and I want to thank them for their courage and selflessness,” she said.
Musa’s father Shahin Ahmed released a statement early on Monday in which he called for “a review of safety measures” at the site.
“I strongly agree with the calls from local residents for a review of safety measures at West Mersea Beach, including the provision of additional life-saving equipment and clear warning signage,” he said.
“While no action now can undo the pain we are suffering, we hope lessons can be learned to help prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future.”
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