Latest news with #AaronKeightley
BBC News
5 days ago
- General
- BBC News
'Someone said is it the Spanish flag?'
The RNLI urged beachgoers to learn the meaning of safety flags to prevent people have died on the Lincolnshire coast in the last three months in separate incidents at Skegness, Ingoldmells and Anderby Creek. RNLI Senior lifeguard Lois Kemp, 26, said it was "worrying" that some people did not know the meanings of the different flags."I've had some people come and ask me if it's the Spanish flag," she said, referring to the red and yellow flag which marks a designated swimming area monitored by lifeguards. "It's generally the safest area you can swim," she said."It's also the area we can respond to you the quickest."Ms Kemp said the RNLI in Skegness had been raising awareness about beach safety by visiting local schools."The most important thing we do is prevention," she said."You obviously want to stop any bad incident before it happens." On 25 May, Lincolnshire police said a 60-year-old man died after attempting to help two children who appeared to be in distress in the sea at a separate incident at the end of June, a body was found by emergency crews searching for a teenage boy who had been reported missing at Anderby the start of July, the family of 29-year-old Aaron Keightley paid tribute to him after he died when getting into difficulty in the sea off Kemp said if people do find themselves in trouble in the water they should "float to live"."Make a star float on your back, head up to the sky, shout for help and wait for assistance," she said. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices
BBC News
05-07-2025
- BBC News
Tribute to 'sweetest' man who died while on holiday in Skegness
A family have paid tribute to a 29-year-old man who died after getting into difficulty in the sea off Skegness beach. Aaron Keightley, from Beaumont Leys in Leicester, was enjoying his first holiday with friends before he died on Monday, his family Lifeguards Lincolnshire confirmed a man was pulled from the water and despite efforts to resuscitate him, was pronounced dead at the scene. His sister Shannon Smith said she would "miss him forever". Paramedics and ambulance crews, including an air ambulance, also attended. On a crowdfunding page to help pay for Mr Keightley's funeral arrangements, Ms Smith said "the current took him so quickly", and warned people to be careful in the sea. In a statement on behalf of the family, she said: "Aaron was the most kind, sweetest, loveable and loyal man ever to exist. "His presence was valued so much, he was loved... beyond belief. I am going to miss him forever. "How are we meant to continue as a family without him?"A spokesperson for RNLI Lifeguards Lincolnshire previously said: "Our thoughts go to the family and friends affected by the incident, along with many of the beach visitors who witnessed the tragic events at the time."
Daily Mail
03-07-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE My brother was knocked down by a wave in knee-deep water and drowned in 30 seconds while on his first friends' holiday
The holidaymaker who died after being pulled out of the sea on his first friends' holiday was knocked off his feet by a wave in knee-deep water, his distraught sister said. Aaron Keightley, 29, died on Monday after the tragedy at Skegness, Lincolnshire, where he had been enjoying the summer heatwave. The labourer - pictured below on the same beach just 24 hours earlier - was taken by the current, his sister Shannon Smith said. Ms Smith has launched an online fundraiser to help cover the costs of bringing her 'selfless and loving' older sibling's body home to Leicester, as well as his funeral. The 26-year-old told MailOnline Mr Keightley had 'always enjoyed family holidays, but this was his first proper holiday away with friends'. Speaking from her home in Beaumont Leys, Leicester, she added: 'He went with two friends and they were having the best time. 'He'd been so excited for it. He went last Friday for a week, and they'd been to the beach every day.' Ms Smith said her brother and his friends were 'just messing about in the waves, no more than knee deep', when a 'really big one' knocked them off their feet. She added: 'Aaron could swim, but he wasn't the strongest swimmer, and he was just dragged out and apparently started panicking. 'One of his friends tried to help him, but he said by the time he got to Aaron it was already too late. 'However, he stayed with him the whole time, and did everything he could, even to the point where he was almost drowning himself.' She said that eventually, with the help of another man who appeared with a dinghy, they managed to get him back out of the sea. 'Aaron's friends are absolutely distraught. They are suffering from survivors' guilt - even though what happened wasn't their fault. It was a tragic accident. 'Apparently it happened in 30 seconds. They just did not realise how strong the current could be. There needs to be more warning signs.' Ms Smith took the picture of her brother on the beach when she visited the trio in the seaside resort on Sunday. 'He was so happy', she continued. 'I told him to be careful, and to make sure he was eating and drinking properly in the hot weather - but I didn't ever imagine something like this would happen.' The county's RNLI Lifeguards told in a Facebook post how they recovered an 'unconscious member of the public from the water south of central beach, after he got into difficulty in the surf.' It added: 'Despite their best efforts to resuscitate him, the casualty sadly passed away at the scene. Our thoughts go to the family and friends affected by the incident, along with many of the beach visitors who witnessed the tragic events at the time.' East Midlands Ambulance Service and the Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance also attended the incident on Monday afternoon – the second beach fatality in the area in as many days. On Saturday afternoon a teenage boy vanished from Anderby Creek, between the resorts of Skegness and Mablethorpe. A body was recovered in the early hours of Sunday. Those tragedies came just a matter of weeks after hero holidaymaker Alexandru Melei, 60, died after wading into the sea at Ingoldmells, also near Skegness, after hearing twin girls screaming for help – only to be overwhelmed by the swell. Another of Mr Keightley's sisters, Kayley Keightley, 31, said that when the grieving family visited the beach on Tuesday, they only saw one lifeguard on the beach and another in a hut. 'There needs to be more of them for a beach that has hundreds and hundreds of people on a nice day', she said. Referring to the weekend tragedy at Anderby Creek, Ms Keightley added: 'There will be another tragedy - Aaron's was the second one on the same stretch of many people are losing their lives.' Mr Keightley and his friends were said to have been been paddling in a section of water outside the area marked by flags which is monitored by the lifeguards. Ms Smith added: 'Aaron was too kind. He'd do anything for anyone, and give you his last penny. 'He was a big kid at heart, and just wanted to be loved. He hadn't met anyone serious yet, but I am sure he would have. 'Now he'll never have children. He still had so much to give to the world. It's so sad.' The family launched an online appeal for financial help after being quoted over £8,000 to bring Aaron's body back from hospital in Hull and hold a funeral in Leicester. Outlining the family's 'heart wrenching pain' in a message alongside the fundraising appeal, Ms Smith said her brother - who lived with his mother, stepfather and younger brother, Alex, 17, in Beamont Leys - deserves a great send-off'. She wrote of the tragedy: 'The current took him so quickly and there is no fight against the sea!' By Wednesday evening it had raised £1,600 of the £8,000 target. A spokesman for the RNLI said: 'On the afternoon of Monday 30 June, a man got into difficulty in the surf approximately 200 metres south of the flagged area where RNLI lifeguards patrol at Skegness Beach. 'Lifeguards on shoreline patrol between the flags were alerted to the incident by a member of the public and responded immediately. 'They pulled the casualty from the water using their rescue board. 'The team performed CPR until they could hand him into the care of the ambulance service. Very sadly, a later update confirmed the man had died.' The spokesman said an RNLI lifeguard supervisor and three lifeguards who were on the beach responded to the incident. He added: 'Our lifeguard team's thoughts go to the family and friends affected by the incident, along with the many beach visitors who witnessed the tragic events at the time. 'The RNLI provides a beach lifeguard service at Skegness on behalf of East Lindsey District Council. 'We provide a recommendation on when and where our lifeguard patrols could be and it's the Council who agree and grant us permission.' Romanian Mr Melei died on May 25 while on a trip to the UK to visit friends. His daughter later told how the ex-army medic had been walking along the promenade with his wife and friend when they heard two girls screaming in the water. The friend managed to rescue one of the children but Mr Melei was overcome by the swell and died in hospital. Both children emerged unscathed. The family are raising money to bring Aaaron home via GoFundMe if you would like to donate.
The Independent
02-07-2025
- The Independent
‘Selfless and loving' man, 29, dies after being pulled from sea at popular holiday spot
A 29-year-old man died on the beach after going on his first holiday with friends to Skegness, his heartbroken family has said. Aaron Keightley was pulled from the sea by lifeguards south of the central beach in Skegness, Lincolnshire, at around 3.30pm on Monday. A fundraiser has been set up by his sister Shannon Smith on GoFundMe, aiming to collect £8,000 to help the family get his body transported home and cover funeral costs. Mr Keightley's heartbroken sister said: 'My brother lost his whole future. He went on his first friends' holiday and lost his life to the sea on Skegness beach. 'Not only do we as a family have to get through this heart-wrenching pain but we have to now somehow get him back home from Hull, before we can even start to grieve his loss which can cost us thousands. 'We really want to give him everything and more and show him how loved and adored he is and always will be, there will never be another person like him so selfless and loving.' She said her brother would 'give anyone his last pound' and he deserved a 'great send off'. 'He will forever be 29. No age to lose your life - his mum, dad and siblings are hurting beyond belief,' she added. A RNLI Lifeguards representative in Lincolnshire told The Independent: 'At 3.30pm yesterday, lifeguards in Skegness recovered an unconscious member of the public from the water south of central beach, after he got into difficulty in the surf. 'Despite their best efforts to resuscitate him, the casualty sadly passed away at the scene. Our thoughts go to the family and friends affected by the incident, along with many of the beach visitors who witnessed the tragic events at the time.' A 60-year-old man died in May after trying to help two children who appeared to be in distress in the sea near Skegness.
Daily Mail
02-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Man, 29, died 'on his first holiday with friends' after drowning in the sea off Skegness beach
A man has died after being pulled from the sea at a coastal resort while on his 'first holiday' with friends. The holidaymaker, named online as Aaron Keightley, 29, was taken by the current while enjoying the heatwave in Skegness, Lincolnshire, on Monday, according to an online fundraising appeal posted by his sister. The county's RNLI Lifeguards told in a Facebook post how they recovered an 'unconscious member of the public from the water south of central beach, after he got into difficulty in the surf.' It added: 'Despite their best efforts to resuscitate him, the casualty sadly passed away at the scene. Our thoughts go to the family and friends affected by the incident, along with many of the beach visitors who witnessed the tragic events at the time.' East Midlands Ambulance Service and the Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance also attended the incident on Monday afternoon – the second beach fatality in the area in as many days. On Saturday afternoon a teenage boy vanished from Anderby Creek, between the resorts of Skegness and Mablethorpe. A body was recovered in the early hours of Sunday. Those tragedies came just a matter of weeks after hero holidaymaker Alexandru Melei, 60, died after wading into the sea at Ingoldmells, also near Skegness, after hearing twin girls screaming for help – only to be overwhelmed by the swell. The fundraiser set up to help meet funeral costs is aiming to raise £2,200 for 'selfless and loving' Aarron's family, from Leicester. A message alongside the appeal by sibling Shannon said: 'On 30/06/2025 my brother lost his whole future, he went on his first friends' holiday and lost his life to the sea on Skegness beach! 'The current took him so quickly and there is no fight against the sea!' Outlining the family's 'heart wrenching pain', she added: 'We really want to give him everything and more and show him how loved and adored he is and always will be, there will never be another person like him'. She said Mr Keightley would give his last pound and 'deserves a great send-off'. As she told how her brother would be 'forever 29', the grieving sibling urged people to be careful in the sea 'no matter your size or strength'. Shannon later posted on Facebook: 'Love you so much brother, heartbroken your(sic) gone, forever 29'. On Sunday, Lincolnshire Police said in relation to the weekend incident: 'We are saddened to report that a body was found in the early hours of this morning in the search for a teenager who had been reported missing from Anderby Creek.' The statement added: 'We would like to thank the public's help in allowing emergency services to respond to the incident. 'Our thoughts at this time are with the boy's family.' Romanian Mr Melei died on May 25 while on a trip to the UK to visit friends. His daughter later told how the ex-army medic had been walking along the promenade with his wife and friend when they heard two girls screaming in the water. The friend managed to rescue one of the children but Mr Melei was overcome by the swell and died in hospital. Both children emerged unscathed.
