A 68-year-old grandfather died after heroically rescuing his nine-year-old granddaughter from a dangerous rip current at a beach in Cornwall. The tragic incident unfolded on bank holiday Monday at Tregirls Beach, near Padstow.
The Incident
Phil Crow, a retired stonemason and lifelong Padstow resident, was at the beach with his granddaughter Sia Briskham, 9, his wife Tina, and another grandchild, Nate, 12. The family was enjoying the waves when a sudden change in tide swept Sia and Tina out to sea. Mr. Crow rushed into the water to help but suffered a cardiac arrest. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Tina recounted the harrowing moments: “We were jumping up with the waves then all of a sudden we couldn’t hit the floor when we landed, it was deeper and was pulling us out. He was shouting at her to lay on her back but she couldn’t stand, he pushed her to safety, but doing so meant he couldn’t get back himself.”
Rescue Efforts
Nate, 12, shouted for help from the shore, prompting around 15 people to join the rescue. Tina was picked up by a passing boat and checked by paramedics. Sia was also brought to safety by members of the public. Despite emergency services and RNLI attendance, Mr. Crow could not be revived.
Family Tributes
Daughter Mel Thomas, 49, said her dad “died a hero.” She added: “He always told [his grandchildren] he loved them so much, he would die to protect them and he is a man of his word.” Sia’s mother, Angie Crow, expressed gratitude: “I’m just so thankful for him and what he did.” Tina thanked the emergency services, many of whom knew her husband personally, noting the family had visited the beach for 50 years believing it to be the safest in the area.
Police Statement
A Devon and Cornwall Police spokesperson said: “We were called at around 3.50pm on Monday 25 May following a report of a man suffering a cardiac arrest in the sea at Tregirls Beach, Padstow. Emergency services attended but sadly, the local man in his 60s was pronounced deceased. His next of kin are aware. The death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for HM Coroner.”
Spate of Water Incidents
The tragedy follows a series of teen drownings during the unseasonably hot May half-term. Declan Sawyer, 15, died at Swanholme Lakes, Lincoln; Reco Puttock, 13, at Leadbeater Dam, West Yorkshire; a teenage girl at Kingsbury Water Park, Warwickshire; a fourth teen at Rother Valley Country Park, Rotherham; a 12-year-old boy in the River Ribble; and Abbie Carmody-Pepper, 15, at Burrow Beach, Ireland.
