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Deaths of three women in sea 'tragic and horrendous'
TL;DR
Three young women have died in the sea in Brighton, described as 'tragic and horrendous' by the city's council leader. Their identities are not yet known, and the coastguard has concluded its search.
Key points
- Three young women died in the sea in Brighton
- Council leader Bella Sankey called it 'tragic and horrendous'
- The coastguard has concluded its search
The deaths of three young women in the sea in Brighton were "tragic and horrendous", the city's council leader has said.
Labour's Bella Sankey said it was "the most devastating news" Brighton had received "for a very long time".
The Brighton and Hove City Council leader also said the women were yet to be identified and their loved ones were still to be informed.
It is not yet known how the women came to be in the water, but the coastguard has ended its search and was not looking for anyone else.
Sankey said: "It is probably the most devastating news that I've received in this city for a very long time.
"I can't think of anything more tragic or more horrendous really."
A large cordon was in place around the beach at Black Rock, while emergency teams dealt with the incident. The beach has since reopened.
"This is the last thing that anyone wants or expects to happen," the council leader said.
"The fact that these women are yet to be identified and their loved ones are yet to be informed is all the more heartbreaking and distressing."
Sussex Police said emergency teams were first called at about 05:45 BST to a report of a single person in the water near Black Rocks car park in Madeira Drive, which runs along the beachfront.
On arrival, two more bodies were recovered from the sea nearby.
It is understood that the women were about 20 to 30 years old and were first spotted at Brighton Palace Pier before drifting to the marina, PA Media reported.
Officers are also exploring several lines of inquiry, including that the women may have gone into the sea from the beach near where they were found, and then got into difficulty.
Sankey said the council had "worked hard to ensure we have the best possible coverage in terms of a lifeguard service, which obviously is increased over the summer months, but it is of course very challenging".
She added that the council had recently completed a seafront safety review.
Anyone with information which could help police is asked to contact the force and people have been urged to avoid speculation.
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Q&A
What happened to the three women in Brighton?
Three young women were found dead in the sea in Brighton, prompting a statement from the city council leader about the tragedy.
Who is Bella Sankey and what did she say about the incident?
Bella Sankey is the leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, who described the deaths as 'the most devastating news' for the city.
Has the coastguard finished searching for the women?
Yes, the coastguard has ended its search and is not looking for anyone else related to the incident.
