A TEENAGER who survived the tragic incident off Bournemouth beach was "caught in a rip tide," her dad has said in an interview with national media.

The father of 18-year-old Southampton woman Lauren Tate has spoken out following the incident on Wednesday evening.

It comes after a Southampton boy, 17, and a 12-year-old girl from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, died in the incident.

Speaking to the MailOnline, Ms Tate's dad said: "We’ve seen all the stuff about boats and jet skis but it wasn’t like that. She was swimming in the sea with her friends when the rip tide took them out.

"She was lucky to get pulled from the sea by the coastguard and one of her other friends was rescued by a paddleboarder.

"I know the boy who died was at college with her, but I don’t know anything about him.

"All she told me is that they all met up on the train and headed to Bournemouth beach for the day."

Read more - Main article continues below:

Eight people involved in the incident were treated by ambulance at the scene.

A man in his 40s has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

Another teenager, 18-year-old Mackenzie Creech, told the MailOnline that he heard shouts and screams from the pier.

He said: "'Everything happened so quickly, one minute I was enjoying the beach with some friends and then the next we heard screaming and shouting.

"We were on the other side of the pier but you could hear all this noise so we went over to see what was going on and people were pointing into the water."

READ MORE: Everything police have said after Southampton teenager dies off Bournemouth beach

The police have urged people not to speculate about what happened.

Officers have confirmed that there is "no suggestion" of people jumping from Bournemouth pier or of jet skis being involved in the incident that led to the deaths.