Bournemouth drowning: Police say it will take time to establish facts

Dorset Police in south west England have opened several lines of enquiry including the presence of a pleasure boat in the sea following the drowning of two young people off Bournemouth beach last week.

Sunnah Khan, a 12-year-old girl from Buckinghamshire, and Joe Abbess, 17, from Southampton were rescued from the sea on Wednesday (31) but both died later in hospital.

Sunnah was enjoying her half-term break with her siblings, father Asim Khan and mother Stephanie Williams when the tragedy took place.

While Williams said she was desperate to know what led to her daughter’s death who was swimming at the Victoria pier when the tragedy took place, police said it would take time to establish facts.

A man in his 40s was arrested on Wednesday in connection with the incident but he has been released under investigation.

The force also ruled out that the deceased had been involved in any collision or contact with any vessel in the water.

Investigators were looking at all circumstances of the incident including weather, wind conditions and the state of the water at the time, the police said in a statement adding, “as there was a pleasure boat in the area of water, this is just one of several lines of enquiry.”

Detective Chief Superintendent Neil Corrigan said, “We are working with experts from partner agencies to understand all of the factors and this will take time to establish.”

“I would ask that the police investigation is allowed to continue without further unhelpful speculation around circumstances of the incident,” Corrigan said.

Liaison officers were keeping the families of Sunnah and Joe about the progress of the investigation, he said.

But Williams, who said her family was “traumatised” after witnessing the tragedy, said she did not receive any further information about the incident than what was said in the police statement.

The A&E nurse believes somebody "has potentially caused Sunnah to be taken away from us.

“We don't actually know how it came about,” she told the Sun, and added she failed to understand “how somebody can be released on bail for double manslaughter?”