A sea search is under way close to the shore in Brighton after someone was reported to be in the water west of the Palace Pier and by the Albion Groyne.
The alarm was raised shortly before 4pm today (Wednesday 12 April) prompting a search at sea, in the air and from the shore.
The RNLI at Brighton was initially asked to head for the area but the conditions – with Storm Noa battering the Sussex coast – were outside the operational limits for Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat.
The all-weather lifeboat from Newhaven and Shoreham were dispatched supported by the coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Lee-on-Solent and land-based police and volunteer coastguard teams from Newhaven, Shoreham and Littlehampton.
There were unconfirmed reports that someone jumped or was swept from the Albion Groyne.
Conditions at sea were described as “a bit lumpy” but the search was extensive given the credibility of the initial reports.
High tide was at about 4.15pm today and sunset shortly before 8pm when continuing to search would become much harder.
The area remains covered by a Met Office yellow wind warning, with Storm Noa gusting at close to 60mph at times along the Sussex coast and bringing some heavy rain.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency told the PA (Press Association) news agency: “HM Coastguard’s Newhaven, Littlehampton and Shoreham Coastguard Rescue Teams, alongside Shoreham and Newhaven RNLI all-weather lifeboats, Sussex Police and the coastguard helicopter from Lee-on-Solent are co-ordinating a search for a possible person in the water at Brighton Palace Pier following concerns first raised to emergency services shortly before 4pm.”
The Brighton RNLI lifeboat was called into action shortly after 4pm yesterday to reports of a woman face down in the water near Banjo Groyne – to the west of Brighton Marina.
She was reached quickly by the inshore lifeboat crew and an RNLI volunteer had to climb into the water as she was too close to the shore to be reached from the vessel.
She was handed over to the South East Coast Ambulance Service and paramedics tried to revive her but she was later declared to have died.
Property believed to belong to the woman was found to the west of where she was brought ashore.
Sussex Police said: “Her next of kin have been informed. Her death is not being treated as suspicious and a report will be prepared for HM Coroner.”
