Humberside Police have confirmed that a second body was recovered from the sea off Withernsea, East Yorkshire, on Friday evening, as the search for a third missing person resumed at dawn on Saturday.
Emergency services were called to the area just after 3pm on Friday following reports of people in difficulty in the water. A 67-year-old man was pulled unconscious from the sea but later died. The search was suspended at 12.30am on Saturday but recommenced at first light, with coastguard rescue teams and partner agencies conducting additional searches.
HM Coastguard described the conditions as “horrendous”, with waves reaching almost three metres. A local photographer, Darrin Stevens, said the weather was “bitter and freezing” and warned that the sea was dangerous. Police have stated that the circumstances surrounding both deaths are not believed to be suspicious and have asked the public to avoid the area to allow emergency services to work safely.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has issued a warning about the risks of cold water shock, noting that the average sea temperature around the UK and Ireland at this time of year is between 6°C and 10°C. Gareth Morrison, RNLI head of water safety, urged anyone entering the water to be aware of the dangers and to check conditions carefully.
This incident follows the death of a 51-year-old man who died in the sea at Brighton on New Year's Day after being recovered from the water west of Brighton Palace Pier.
