Robbie Jones, who became a water safety campaigner after his dad drowned in the sea off Hove Beach in 2021, told BBC Radio Sussex: “I know exactly what this is like.
“Grief is hard enough, death is hard enough, but to have grief and loss in these circumstances is truly devastating and it’s another kind of layer of burden when it comes to grief.”
Brighton Pavilion MP Sian Berry said it was “devastating, heartbreaking news”.
“It’s a tragedy I think that has affected everyone in the city,” she told BBC Radio Sussex.
“You can feel the emotions from people who talk about it, and the rest of the country as well.
“I’m getting messages from lots people who are not in Brighton who are nevertheless sending their thoughts in our directions. It’s a genuine tragedy.”