Essex Police report that a teenage girl and a woman in her 40s die after several people get into difficulty in the water off West Mersea beach, near Seaview Avenue. The incident happens on Wednesday, and emergency services respond after reports that multiple people were struggling in the sea. Police say three other people are taken to hospital: one remains in a serious condition and two others have injuries described as not life-threatening. The Guardian and other outlets describe the group as people who appear to know each other, though police statements cited by the reports do not specify the relationship in detail. Local news coverage also mentions involvement by bystanders and first aid from those at the scene, but the core facts are that two people die and three others receive hospital treatment. Essex Police continue to investigate the circumstances and do not indicate at this stage what caused the incident.