Father felt helpless trying to save son, 7, from sea
Image source, Lewis Adams/BBC
Image caption,Musa Ahmed was pulled from the water in West Mersea but died in hospital six days later
ByRachael McMenemy
The father of a seven-year-old boy who died after a beach tragedy said he felt helpless as he tried to battle through waves to save his son.
Musa Ahmed was on a day trip to West Mersea, Essex, on 22 July, when he and five relatives got into difficulty in the water. His teenage cousin and her mother died at the scene.
The seven-year-old was airlifted to the Royal London Hospital, where he died on 28 July.
"Standing before the sea, you quickly realise there are moments when love alone cannot overcome the force of nature," Musa's father, Shahin Ahmed, said in a new statement.
The family had travelled to the island, near Colchester, from Barking in east London that morning.
Three others were also taken to hospital by ambulance after the incident, first reported to Essex Police at 17:35 BST, and were said by the force to be "recovering".
Ahmed, has previously said the group were swept away by a "very strong" tide and police said they made "significant efforts to help each other".
He has said he now wants to honour his son's memory by creating a programme to provide young people with first aid and water safety training in a bid to save others.
Image source, Lewis Adams/BBC
Image caption,Flowers were left on the beach in the aftermath of the emergency
In a statement on a fundraising page Ahmed said: "Twenty minutes before we were due to leave, our family outing became every parent's worst nightmare.
"One moment I was putting our belongings into the boot of the car. The next, I heard screaming.
"I ran towards my family, only to find myself repeatedly pushed back by the force of the waves.
"There is a helplessness in that moment that no words can truly capture. As a father, every instinct tells you to protect your family. But standing before the sea, you quickly realise there are moments when love alone cannot overcome the force of nature.
"The tragedy didn't begin because we ignored danger. It began because we never knew it was there."
"The story of Musa didn't end at the shoreline. That's where our responsibility began," he continued.
Paying tribute to his son he said: "He had the kind of smile that made people smile back without thinking.
"He was bright-eyed, endlessly curious, and full of the kind of joy that filled every room he walked into.
"He had a beautiful way of making people feel seen. He greeted everyone with warmth, loved deeply, and was always the first to offer a helping hand.
"That was simply who he was. Kindness came naturally to him. Helping others came naturally to him."
Image source, Lewis Adams/BBC
Image caption,The professionalism and speed of emergency response teams has been praised by those who witnessed the incident
Bystanders – including Craig Bowe, who made three rescue attempts – sprang into action as the tragedy unfolded, administering CPR to the Rahmans.
Bowe managed to help Musa on to a lifeboat, as well as another boy, but said Musa was "not in a good way".
The incident has prompted calls for extra safety measures on the beach, including signage and life jackets.
Colchester City Council and West Mersea Town Council have both said warning signs are due to be installed.
Ahmed thanked the people of West Mersea, including Bowe, who ran into the water to try and save his family.
"You acted. For that, our family will remain forever grateful," he said.
He also thanked the emergency services and people who had sent messages to the family.
