Three members of the same family have died after getting into difficulty in the water near Shoreham Fort in Sussex, police have confirmed. A major search-and-rescue operation was launched at around 2.45pm today (August 18) following reports that four people were in trouble in the sea.
Emergency response and casualties
Despite a huge emergency response, including two air ambulances, lifeboats, and specialist rescue teams, it has now been confirmed that a man, woman and teenage girl have lost their lives, while another girl is in a critical condition.
Eyewitnesses described seeing two air ambulances land near Shoreham Port as blue lights flooded the area. A fleet of police cars, coastguard rescue units, ambulance vehicles, and fire engines swarmed the scene while lifeboats searched the water.
Road closure and ongoing operation
The A259 was completely shut down as emergency crews worked at the scene.
