A seven-year-old boy remains in critical condition following a tragic incident at West Mersea Beach that claimed the lives of his teenage cousin and her mother, police have confirmed.

Sameeha Rahman, 15, and her mother Shelina Rahman, 41, both from Ilford in east London, died following the incident on July 22.

Musa Ahmed, seven, was airlifted to hospital where he continues to fight for his life.

He, Sameeha, and Shelina were among six family members – including two other adults and a child – who got into difficulty in the water.

Essex Police said on Tuesday that all family members made "significant efforts to help each other".

Several other relatives were also hospitalised in the aftermath and are now recovering.

Detective Chief Inspector Al Pitcher, who leads the investigation, said: “We are continuing to support Shelina and Sameeha’s family through this extremely difficult time.

“They had been enjoying a family day at the beach together when this tragedy happened.

“We are working to establish the circumstances which led up to this incident and our inquiries are ongoing.

“We have spoken to a number of key witnesses and will continue to do so over the coming days and will work with partners including the fire service, local council, and coastguard.”

Chief Inspector Michelle Sparks, district commander for Colchester, thanked the local community for their response to the incident.

“There were members of the public who rushed to help the family and I want to thank them for their courage and selflessness,” she said.

“Since this tragic incident we have also seen an outpouring of support and sympathy.

“At times of tragedy you get to see how strong a community is, and we have a fantastic community on Mersea Island, and across the Colchester district.”

Essex Police previously said officers were called by the ambulance service at 5.35pm on July 22 after reports that several people had got into difficulty in the water near Seaview Avenue.

The East of England Ambulance Service said one patient was transported by air and three taken by road to hospital after the incident at Sea View Holiday Park.

Musa’s father Shahin Ahmed released a statement early on Monday in which he called for “a review of safety measures” at the site.

“I strongly agree with the calls from local residents for a review of safety measures at West Mersea Beach, including the provision of additional life-saving equipment and clear warning signage,” he said.

“While no action now can undo the pain we are suffering, we hope lessons can be learned to help prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future.”