A major emergency operation unfolded on the Yorkshire coast on Friday afternoon after reports of multiple people getting into difficulty in the sea, resulting in one man's death and an ongoing search for two missing individuals.
Emergency Response Launched
The alarm was raised at just after 3pm on Friday 2 January in the popular seaside town of Withernsea, East Yorkshire. A significant multi-agency response was immediately coordinated, led by HM Coastguard. Teams involved included the RNLI, Humberside Police, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, and Humberside Fire and Rescue.
Humberside Police confirmed that during the initial phase of the operation, emergency services recovered an unconscious man from the water. Despite all efforts to save him, the 67-year-old man died a short time later at the scene. The force stated that the circumstances surrounding his death are not currently believed to be suspicious.
Ongoing Search in Treacherous Conditions
As of 7pm on Friday, more than four hours after the first alert, HM Coastguard confirmed the search was continuing for two missing people in the water. A wide range of assets were deployed to the scene, including a Coastguard search and rescue helicopter, a fixed-wing aircraft, and multiple Coastguard Rescue Teams from Withernsea, Hornsea, and Hull.
Lifeboats from Withernsea and Bridlington RNLI were tasked, along with Hornsea Inshore Rescue. However, rescue teams faced extremely challenging conditions. In a Facebook post, Hornsea Inshore Rescue stated they were "unable to launch [a] lifeboat due to horrendous conditions and three metre waves" which posed a danger to their equipment. They instead sent a 4x4 vehicle with a casualty care crew to assist.
Local resident Darren Stevens told the BBC he witnessed numerous emergency vehicles near the beach. He described the weather as "bitter" and "freezing", noting it had snowed earlier. "It's not a good place to be in the sea," he added.
Public Urged to Avoid Area
Authorities have asked the public to stay away from the central promenade area of Withernsea to allow emergency services to work safely and efficiently. Humberside Fire and Rescue Services, who were called at 3.40pm, echoed this request, warning of emergency vehicle movements in the zone.
Humberside Police indicated that residents will continue to see an increased police presence in and around the area as the extensive search operation persists. All involved agencies have emphasised that searches remain ongoing.
