Young girls watch their mum drown in a terrible beach accident

Police are reminding swimmers to be mindful of capabilities and conditions in the water.

A mother has drowned at a beach on Tasmania’s north-west coast trying to help one of her two young daughters in the water.

Police said the woman got into difficulty at Somerset Beach shortly before 6:00pm yesterday.

Bystanders dragged the 49-year-old woman from the water and performed CPR.

She was taken to the North-West Regional Hospital at Burnie in a critical condition and later died.

Her daughters, aged 9 and 10, were also rescued from the water but police said they were safe and well.

The beach was not being patrolled at the time.

Sergeant Nikala Parsons said police understand the woman, from Somerset, was a skilled swimmer.

“It is understood that she got into difficulty after being hit by a wave and it appears that there were some bystanders assisting her until the ambulance arrived a short time later,” she said.

“It is a small community and things like that affect the small communities in a huge way.

“With an incident like that involves I guess families and young children, it’s distressing for everybody including the police.”

Police have reminded swimmers to be mindful of capabilities and conditions in the water.

Our hearts go out to her family.

Share your thoughts below.

19 Comments

- - mom57619 said
  - 29 Feb 2016
    8:20 pm
This would have a devastating effect on the family.

- - madlac2 said
  - 10 Feb 2016
    8:26 am
So very sad for those young girls.

- - coastalkaryn said
  - 09 Feb 2016
    10:02 pm
oh too sad – my heart goes out to the family

- - mom156049 said
  - 01 Feb 2016
    11:27 pm
Such a tragedy. Those poor children. Times like these you really see how strong the community spirit is. Proud to be Tasmanian

- - BellaB said
  - 08 Jan 2016
    8:16 pm
What a dreadful accident. Condolences to everyone.

- - mom165081 said
  - 08 Jan 2016
    8:09 pm
Beaches can be so dangerous and so very very different to pool/calm water swimming. Such a tragedy when people get caught like this. So sad for the two girls.

- - mom170024 said
  - 08 Jan 2016
    7:58 pm
Praying for those impacted by this incident, particularly the children, her family, the emergency services personnel & the helpful bystanders. I’m sure it will be a difficult time for everyone.

- - rachelvk said
  - 08 Jan 2016
    7:23 pm
An absolute tragedy. My thoughts go out to the family an in particular those poor girls.

- - mom90758 said
  - 08 Jan 2016
    3:13 pm
How terrible! Poor woman. And those two little girls, I have fear they will never be able to forget this tragic time. 🙁
- june11 replied
  
  14 Feb 2016 , 6:41 pm
  Sympathy to the girls, their Dad, other relatives and friends. The girls are old enough that they will never forget. I hope they are given on-going counselling and may need some more in a few years time. Knowing about a similar tragedy a few years ago, the outcome a few years later was tragic too.
- - mom94125 said
  - 08 Jan 2016
    3:05 pm
yeah that is pretty saddening to hear. thankfully her children were ok. what a blow to their family. condolences.

- - Nas01 said
  - 08 Jan 2016
    2:28 pm
What a tragic story. Thoughts are with two girls and their family.

- - Lizbef said
  - 08 Jan 2016
    1:08 pm
I can’t imagine the grief they must be going through. What a tragic loss

- - mamavon said
  - 08 Jan 2016
    12:33 pm
So sad. A tragic accident. I wonder if people should maybe just wear life jackets (just in case).

- - Mummytoabeautifulprincess said
  - 08 Jan 2016
    12:20 pm
What an awful thing for her daughters to have to watch. RIP mummy x

- - mum4107 said
  - 08 Jan 2016
    12:19 pm
So very sad. My thoughts are with her family

- - mom101628 said
  - 08 Jan 2016
    12:15 pm
The beach can always be unpredictable – I feel for the daughters and do hope there is good support for them and that it continues.

- - pakeko said
  - 08 Jan 2016
    12:12 pm
How horrible for the girls to have watched I hope there is amazing support around them

- - aprilb1 said
  - 08 Jan 2016
    11:52 am
That’s awful. The beach can be unpredictable at times. I feel for the family