A major search is under way following reports of a “number of people in difficulty in water” at a popular Yorkshire seaside town.
The alarm was raised just after 3pm on Friday (2 January) in the seaside town of Withernsea in East Yorkshire.
Multiple agencies are helping in the search and rescue operation, being led by HM Coastguard, including the RNLI, Humberside Police, Yorkshire Ambulance Service and Humberside Fire and Rescue and have urged the public to avoid the area.
HM Coastguard has confirmed it is searching for two missing people in the water more than four hours after the alarm was first raised.
A spokesman for HM Coastguard said: "HM Coastguard is searching for two missing people in the water off Withernsea today, 2 January.
“First alerted to reports of people in difficulty in the water at around 3.10pm, assets sent to the scene include an HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft, Coastguard Rescue Teams from Withernsea, Hornsea and Hull, the RNLI's inshore lifeboat from Withernsea and all-weather lifeboat from Bridlington, and Hornsea Inshore Rescue.
“Yorkshire Ambulance Service has been sent as well as an air ambulance. Humberside Police and Humberside Fire and Rescue are also in attendance. Searches remain ongoing.”
Humberside Fire and Rescue Services were called to the scene at 3.40pm on Friday.
A spokesperson said: “There are emergency vehicles around the central promenade area of Withernsea. We ask if people can avoid this area if at all possible and to take care because emergency vehicles will be moving in the area.”
In a post on Facebook Hornsea Inshore Rescue warned that conditions were not safe and said its casualty care crew were on the way to Withernsea to assist.
“Called out, unable to launch [a] lifeboat due to horrendous conditions and three metre waves breaking on our slipway which would knock the tractor and trailer sideways off the ramp. Our 4x4 vehicle [is] en route to Withernsea with a casualty care crew,” it said in the post.
Darren Stevens, who lives in the area, told the BBC he had witnessed lots of emergency vehicles and crews near the beach.
He also said it had snowed earlier and that the conditions were “bitter” and “freezing”.
"It's not a good place to be in the sea," he added.
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