Camber Sands: Lifeguards in training after beach deaths

The council is spending £51,000 on the lifeguard patrols

Lifeguards are being trained to patrol a popular South Coast beach hit by tragedy in 2016 ahead of a summer season expected to attract more than one million visitors.

The RNLI lifeguards are in their final two weeks of training at Camber Sands before they start patrols on 27 May.

Five men died during a day-trip to the beach in August 2016. A month earlier, two others also lost their lives.

Families of the men believe a lifeguard service could have saved their lives.

How to stay safe at the beach and the sea

Joe Mitchell, RNLI Lifeguard Supervisor, said: "They've already completed a high standard of training and fitness tests, and these next two weeks are about really familiarising themselves with this beach.

"A key part of their work is prevention so they will be asking people to respect the water and be offering advice on how to stay safe by learning about tidal currents and other local dangers."

Deaths at Camber Sands

Three of the men were pulled from the water on 24 August and two were found later

The five men from south-east London who died on 24 August were:

• Brothers Kenugen and Kobikanthan Saththiyanathan, 18 and 22, from Erith

• Nitharsan Ravi, 22, from Plumstead

• Inthushan Sriskantharaja, 23, from Grays

• Kurushanth Srithavarajah, 27, from Welling

Two others, who lost their lives in July, were:

• Brazilian Gustavo Silva Da Cruz, 19, died after he got into difficulty on 24 July

• Mohit Dupar, 36, from Hayes, west London, died in hospital four days later after trying to rescue him

The lifeguards will be patrolling Camber Sands between 10:00 and 18:00 BST, seven days a week at two locations.

Four will be at Camber Sands Central from 27 May until 1 October and further two will patrol at Camber Sands West from 8 July until 10 September.

The patrols at Camber Sands in East Sussex are being funded by Rother District Council at a cost of £51,000.

More than one million people each year visit the beach each year, which can attract up to 25,000 people "on a fine day", the council has said.