Sixth person drowns off coast in two days as treacherous storms hit Britain

Unseasonably windy and stormy conditions wreak havoc

Kate Nelson
Sunday 21 August 2016 15:56 BST
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A man watches stormy conditions on the harbour wall at Porthcawl, Wales
A man watches stormy conditions on the harbour wall at Porthcawl, Wales (PA )

Six people have died after getting into difficulties off the coast of Britain amid stormy conditions.

A woman drowned while swimming off the coast of Jersey.

The victim, in her 30s, was in the water with a man amid a storm near Green Island around 8.30pm on Saturday.

The man was helped to safety by members of the public, while a lifeboat managed to locate the woman who had been swept along the coast by the current, said RNLI St Helier.

She was taken to hospital but later died, Jersey Police said.

Five others have died along British coastlines this weekend in separate incidents.

Rudy Bruynius, who has been named online, was with his wife Lisinda and their daughter McKayla when they were caught up by a large wave at Fistral Beach on the north-west coast of Cornwall on Saturday.

Mr Bruynius, who was originally from South Africa but who had been living in London, was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead, while McKayla was reported to be in a critical condition.

Two other children in the family managed to scramble back on to the rocks, the RNLI said.

A fundraising page, set up to support the family, has raised more than £14,000.

Family friend Madelein Jansen Van Noordwyk posted a message from Lisinda which said: "Thank you all so much for your prayers!!!".

Another friend Terri-Anne Young Remant paid tribute to the local community in Cornwall for their support.

She wrote on Facebook: "The messages and support has been so overwhelming and appreciated, at this stage we can't respond to everyone individually but we thank you all for your kind words and offer of support at this time in need. The community of Cornwall has been out of this world and we thank you."

A windsurfer died in Essex and a mother and son were killed in Aberdeen on the same day.

They were named by police as Julie Walker, 37, and Lucas Walker, six.

They died in hospital after a rescue operation at Aberdeen beach when a total of five people were pulled from the water and taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

Lucas's brother, Samuel, who entered the water in an attempt to save his mother and brother, is making a "steady recovery" in hospital, police said.

The windsurfer, in his 60s, died in hospital in Colchester after being rescued by RNLI lifeboats off the coast of West Mersea, Essex, at around midday.

An Essex Police spokesman said they were trying to establish the events leading up to his death.

Another swimmer died after being caught in "dangerous waters" off a crowded beach in Poole, Dorset, also on Saturday afternoon.

A spokesman for Dorset Police said "It was reported that a male was seen having difficulties in the rip current outside the safe-swim area.

"Lifeguards recovered him from the water and performed CPR.

"Air ambulance and paramedics attended.

"However he was sadly pronounced dead at the scene."

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