A young woman who had been found in the sea off Brighton has tragically died after being taken to hospital, confirmed police. The woman from Lewes, who was in her 20s, was reported to be in the water in the early hours of this morning sparking a major rescue operation but sadly she did not survive.
HM Coastguard and Sussex Police said crews were called to the area near Brighton Palace Pier at about 3am on Wednesday morning. A helicopter and lifeboats from Shoreham and Brighton were sent to the scene as well as coastguard rescue teams from Newhaven and Shoreham.
It followed police receiving a call about a “possible person in the water” and concern for her safety. A rescue operation was put in place and the woman was retrieved from the water but after being taken to hospital she was pronounced dead.
A spokesman for Sussex Police said: “Police were called following concerns for a woman in the sea off the coast of Brighton just before 3am on Wednesday, April 16.
“Emergency services responded to the scene and the woman, in her 20s and from Lewes, was taken to hospital where she was sadly pronounced deceased.”
The police spokesman added that the woman’s next of kin had been told and that there were no suspicious circumstances involved. He said: “Her next of kin have been informed and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time. There are no suspicious circumstances, and this will now be a matter for the coroner.”
Emergency services, wearing high visibility coats, helmets and life vests, could be seen on the shoreline this morning where there was also a helicopter.
A spokesperson for HM Coastguard said the agency responded “to reports of a possible person in the water in the Brighton Palace Pier area this morning, April 16”.
They added: “Alerted at around 4am, Shoreham and Newhaven Coastguard Rescue Teams, lifeboats from Shoreham and Brighton RNLI and a coastguard search and rescue helicopter have been sent to assist. HM Coastguard coordinated the search, and the casualty was located and passed in to the care of the ambulance service.”
While Brighton RNLI wrote on X: “In the early hours of this morning, our crew launched to reports of a person in the water near #Brighton Palace Pier. We worked alongside Shoreham RNLI, Coastguard Rescue Teams, a helicopter, and other emergency services.
“Sadly, a woman in her 20s was later confirmed to have died. Our thoughts are with her family and friends. Thank you to all involved in the emergency response.”
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