Major Rescue Operation Launched After People in Difficulty
A major multi-agency search and rescue operation was launched on the Yorkshire coast on Friday afternoon after reports of people in trouble in the sea. The incident, near the seaside town of Withernsea, has resulted in two fatalities, with one person still missing as searches continue.
Emergency services, including HM Coastguard, RNLI lifeboats, police, fire, and ambulance crews, were scrambled to the scene after the first alert came in at 3.10pm on Friday 2 January 2026.
Emergency Services Scramble in Treacherous Conditions
The response was immediate and large-scale. HM Coastguard deployed a search and rescue helicopter and a fixed-wing aircraft to scour the area from the air. On the ground and water, teams from the local coastguard, RNLI, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, an air ambulance, Humberside Police, and Humberside Fire and Rescue all converged on Central Promenade in Withernsea.
Authorities urgently asked the public to avoid the area to allow emergency vehicles to operate. Humberside Fire and Rescue issued a statement confirming their attendance and warning of numerous emergency service vehicles in the vicinity.
The rescue effort faced significant challenges due to the severe weather. The volunteer group Hornsea Inshore Rescue stated that "horrendous conditions and 3 metre waves" prevented them from launching their lifeboat, as the surf risked knocking their tractor and trailer off the ramp.
Two Confirmed Fatalities as Search Continues
Despite the extensive efforts, the operation turned tragic. A 67-year-old man was pulled from the water unconscious and was later confirmed to have died.
Later on Friday evening, Humberside Police confirmed that a second body had been recovered from the sea. The force stated that the "circumstances are not believed to be suspicious." Searches are ongoing for one further person who is still thought to be missing.
The incident occurred amidst a spell of very cold weather. The East Riding of Yorkshire council had a severe weather protocol in place, and temperatures in Withernsea were forecast to drop to freezing overnight.
In a sad coincidence, the Hornsea Inshore Rescue team had called off a planned New Year's Day public swim just 24 hours earlier, stating that sea conditions were not suitable for anyone to enter the water. This tragedy follows the death of a 51-year-old man in Brighton yesterday after he got into difficulty in the water.
