Bodies of Three Young Women Recovered from Sea Off Brighton

The bodies of three young women were recovered from the sea off the coast of Brighton early on Wednesday morning after a major emergency response was launched at approximately 05:45 BST.

The Details

Emergency services were called at about 05:45 BST on Wednesday following reports of a person in the water. Police said the bodies were recovered near Black Rock and Madeira Drive, an area along Brighton’s eastern seafront. Officers were initially responding to a report of one person in the water, but the operation expanded as additional victims were located. The women were believed to be approximately 20 to 30 years old. They were first spotted at Brighton Palace Pier before drifting toward the marina area, where the recovery ultimately took place.

Context

The incident prompted a large emergency response that included coastguard teams, Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats, and a search and rescue helicopter. The search of the water was later stood down. Sussex Police said they were not searching for anyone else and were reviewing closed-circuit television footage while working to identify the women and notify their next of kin. Chief Superintendent Adam Hays said: "This is a tragic incident. We are at the very early stages of our inquiries." He added: "Our priority right now is to identify all three women and contact their next of kin." Police and local officials urged the public not to speculate while identification and inquiries are ongoing.

What's Next

Police have not yet publicly identified the three women, and investigators have not confirmed how the women entered the water or established a cause of death.