Full Analysis Summary
Withernsea sea rescue
A freak wave swept people into the sea near Withernsea on the East Yorkshire coast on Friday afternoon as rough three‑metre waves battered the shoreline.
Local and national outlets reported the incident happened around mid‑afternoon and described dramatic scenes as bystanders and emergency services scrambled to help.
Authorities and crews from organisations including the RNLI, HM Coastguard and police led searches amid demanding conditions.
Some searches were later stood down, but the event prompted a multi‑agency response and ongoing searches into the evening and the following day.
Coverage Differences
Tone and description of the wave
Different outlets use varying language to describe the wave and conditions: London Evening Standard (Local Western) and GB News (Western Mainstream) use the phrase 'three‑metre wave' and 'rough conditions' to emphasise the scale, while tabloids like The Sun (Western Tabloid) and Daily Mail (Western Tabloid) emphasise 'huge' or 'freak' waves and add dramatic weather detail such as 'blizzard conditions' that is not emphasised by all mainstream/local reports.
Withernsea rescue incident
Humberside Police and multiple outlets identified those involved as 45-year-old Sarah Keeling and her 15-year-old daughter, Grace, who got into difficulty.
The body of Sarah Keeling was recovered from Withernsea on Friday evening.
A 67-year-old man, Mark Ratcliffe, was also pulled from the water and later died at the scene after attempting a rescue.
Grace remains missing, with searches continuing into Saturday before being stood down by some agencies.
Coverage Differences
Victim status and search outcomes
Most mainstream and local sources (The Guardian, GB News, ITVX, Fosse 107) report Sarah Keeling’s body was recovered and that her daughter Grace remains missing; some tabloids (Daily Mail) add further details — for example mentioning an uncle in some witness accounts — and report that searches were hampered or called off, creating variation in how the outcome is presented.
Rescue attempt and tributes
Mark Ratcliffe, 67, entered the water to help and was later pulled out unconscious and died.
Several news outlets and family statements described him as a 'selfless hero'.
Reports say he was a member of the public who tried to rescue the two people.
His family and others paid tribute in the days after the incident.
Coverage included family quotes and descriptions of the emotional impact on relatives and the wider community.
Coverage Differences
Emphasis on personal tribute versus factual reporting
Mainstream sources (The Guardian, ITVX, GB News) report the facts of Ratcliffe being pulled unconscious and dying and include family tributes; local and tabloid outlets (Fosse 107, Metro, The Mirror) amplify personal tributes and describe him as a 'true selfless hero' with more emotive language.
Sea rescue amid bad weather
Eyewitnesses described frantic attempts to help.
Locals say the mother leapt into the sea and came 'just inches' from reaching her daughter before both were pulled under.
A café worker and other passersby also rushed in.
Several sources describe the daughter being swept from concrete steps and pulled out to sea by strong currents.
Some outlets report that bad weather and sea conditions, including references to sub-zero temperatures and blizzard conditions in a few reports, hampered the response.
Coverage Differences
Eyewitness detail and weather emphasis
Local outlets and tabloids (London Evening Standard, The Mirror, Liverpool Echo) focus on immediate eyewitness descriptions of the mother coming 'just inches' from her daughter and on the daughter's being swept from steps, while the Daily Mail and some tabloids additionally emphasise extreme weather like 'blizzard conditions' and 'sub‑zero temperatures', which is not mentioned in every report.
Community and official reactions
Communities and officials reacted with tributes and offers of support.
Families were being supported by specially trained officers.
Tributes poured in for the rescuer.
Some local reaction pushed back against online criticism of the mother's actions.
Authorities confirmed multi‑agency stand‑downs of some search elements after prolonged efforts.
Reporting varied between factual police statements and emotive community tributes.
Coverage Differences
Focus on community reaction vs police/factual details
Some outlets (The Guardian, ITVX) emphasise police statements about support for families and the procedural aspects (searches being called off), while tabloids and local stations (The Mirror, Metro, Fosse 107) give more space to family tributes and emotional reaction, including condemnation of online criticism and descriptions of the rescuer as a 'hero'.