Two men, 18 and 19, die at High Eske nature reserve
- By Kevin Shoesmith and Jo Makel
- BBC News
25 May 2023, 13:08 BST
Updated 2 minutes ago
The bodies of two young men have been pulled from a lake at a nature reserve in East Yorkshire.
Four others were rescued by firefighters at High Eske Nature Reserve, near Tickton, on Wednesday, authorities said.
Crews were called at 18:30 BST over concerns for “two men in the water”, Humberside Police said.
Divers recovered the bodies of an 18 and 19-year-old shortly after 20:30 BST, the force added.
Image source, Jo Makel / BBC
Supt Paul Butler, of Humberside Police, said: “Our thoughts and condolences are with both young men’s families and loved ones at this very difficult and sad time.
“We are working together with all the relevant agencies, including Humberside Fire and Rescue, to fully understand the circumstances of the tragic accident.”
The area has been closed to the public and an investigation was under way, the fire service said.
A Yorkshire Ambulance Service spokeswoman said “a number of resources” were sent to the scene.
John Henderson, an area manager for Humberside Fire and Rescue, said people should not enter open water such as ponds, rivers and lakes “regardless of how strong a swimmer you may consider yourself to be”.
He added: “They are incredibly dangerous. They are incredibly cold, they have sheer drops, they have hidden obstacles underneath and quite often there are currents involved too.”
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency, which manages the reserve, said: “We are deeply saddened to hear of the tragic deaths of two people at High Eske Nature Reserve. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with their family and friends. We are working with the appropriate authorities to assist in their investigations.”
