Two women have died after getting into difficulty in the sea at two popular beaches in Cornwall on Sunday. One woman, believed to be in her 50s, was pulled from the water at Portreath beach near St Ives just after midday. She was suspected to have suffered a cardiac arrest and could not be revived by paramedics.
Less than four hours later, another woman's body was discovered face down in the water at Porthcothan beach near Padstow. She is thought to have gone swimming and got into trouble. Both beaches were crowded with holidaymakers enjoying the hot weather, and many witnessed the tragic events.
The RNLI assisted in the emergency operations, but neither woman could be saved. Devon and Cornwall Police said there is no indication the two incidents are connected. A spokesperson expressed condolences to the families.
The police were alerted to the Portreath incident at around 12:35pm by the South Western Ambulance Service Trust. Officers attended the beach, which was particularly busy at the time. Neither woman has been formally identified.
