A man and a woman have been pronounced dead after being pulled from the water at Fistral Beach in Newquay, Cornwall. Devon and Cornwall Police, the coastguard, and ambulance service attended the scene from around 9.30pm on Sunday 26 July.
Details of the incident
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) confirmed two lifeboats were launched at around 9.30pm. Witnesses reported seeing up to nine emergency vehicles and a rescue helicopter. The woman was aged in her 30s and the man in his 60s. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. Their families have been informed.
HM Coastguard Padstow issued a statement: 'The team were tasked to join Newquay coastguard search & rescue team with an incident in South Fistral. Newquay RNLI Lifeboats, Coastguard Rescue helicopter 924, Devon & Cornwall Police, South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, Critical Care Team and HMCG duty SCOO S11D were also in attendance.'
Beach conditions and response
A cordon was put in place but has since been removed. Surfer Mason, 38, told CornwallLive: 'There are very strong rips off the rocks there, it's a real shame.' The Bunn family from West Sussex added: 'It's really sad. We were at the headland and could see the helicopter and lights from there.'
A spokesperson for HM Coastguard said they were first informed at around 9.30pm. Coastguard rescue teams from Newquay, Padstow, and St Agnes, along with Newquay RNLI lifeboats and a helicopter, attended. A file will be prepared for HM Coroner.
Water safety campaign
The incident follows the drowning of a 55-year-old man at West Wittering beach earlier the same day. The Mirror has launched the Save Lives For Sam water safety campaign to tackle the UK's drowning crisis, calling for compulsory water safety lessons in schools and better equipment at high-risk waterways.
