A girl is fighting for her life in hospital after three of her family members died after they went into the sea off Shoreham.
There was a huge emergency service response to the incident yesterday afternoon, when police were told four people had got into difficulty in the water.
It is thought the four family members went into the sea for a swim.
Sussex Police confirmed on Tuesday night that a man, a woman and a teenage girl had died, while a younger girl from the family was in a critical condition in hospital.
Officers have not named the victims but said their next of kin had been informed and were being supported by specialist officers.
Chief Superintendent James Collis said: “At around 2.40pm this afternoon, emergency services were called to reports of four people in difficulty in the water close to Shoreham Fort.
“Sussex Police officers supported His Majesty’s Coastguard and the RNLI, as all four people were brought ashore.
“Tragically, despite the best efforts of paramedics, three people – a man, woman and teenage girl – have sadly been confirmed deceased.
“A younger girl has been taken to hospital and is in a critical condition.”
A resident, who asked to remain anonymous, told The Telegraph: “I heard from friends in the coastguard that it was a family who had been living in tents by the harbour front.
“They were camping just between the harbour arm and the fort. They have been there for a couple weeks, I’ve walked my dog past them. People don’t usually camp there.”
Alan Facer, a fisherman from Hove, told the newspaper: “The wind earlier was south-westerly so usually the waves pick up quite a bit.
“At 3pm, the tide would have been quite high.
“I was thinking the other day that someone is going to get hurt around here.”
The RNLI’s Shoreham lifeboat station is just across the mouth of the River Adur from Shoreham Fort.
The 41-year-old added: “Maybe with the lifeboats nearby they feel safe.”
Joss Loader, who lives nearby and represents Shoreham Beach Residents’ Association on Adur District Council, said: “There’s just a really strong sense of shock, obviously people are really concerned for the young girl.
“A small tightly knit community with a very deep sense of shock and that sense of disbelief you get after a tragedy because it has come out of nowhere.”
Shoreham Beach is a spit of land with water on three sides from the River Adur, the estuary and the sea, and Ms Loader said the “tragic events” happened in the estuary.
“It’s school holidays and we have had a wonderful summer so the beaches have been packed with families,” she said.
“The weather was quite calm, not as hot as recent days but it was a perfectly normal day.
“People swim from those beaches even in the winter, generally it is considered as safe as the sea can be. You wouldn’t be swimming there and think you were taking a risk.”
Ms Loader said she has reminded people not to speculate and to allow emergency services to investigate before an inquest is held.
Several ambulances were at the scene on Tuesday, as well as two air ambulances, an HM Coastguard helicopter and rescue teams from Littlehampton, Newhaven and Shoreham and the RNLI lifeboat.
Police said the coastguard has searched the water and is not looking for anyone else.
East Worthing and Shoreham MP Tom Rutland said the community in Shoreham “will be hoping and praying for the recovery of the young girl”.
In a statement on Facebook, he wrote: “I am deeply saddened by the tragic news that three people have died following an incident in the water near Shoreham Fort this afternoon.
“My thoughts are with the family and friends of those who have lost their lives, and I know the whole community here in Shoreham will be hoping and praying for the recovery of the young girl receiving medical treatment in hospital.”
