Sussex Police believe they have confirmed the identities of three women found dead in the sea in Brighton. Officers were called at around 5:45am on Wednesday to 'concerns for the welfare of a person in the water'. Three bodies were then discovered in the sea near Madeira Drive. Police have said they are not searching for anyone else.
In a statement today, Sussex Police said its officers believe they have identified the three women and had a 'number of hypotheses' about how they died. Their next of kin have been informed and formal identification procedures are now underway.
Chief Superintendent's Statement
Chief Superintendent Adam Hays said: 'This is an utterly heartbreaking tragedy, and my thoughts are with the loved ones of these three young women after their devastating loss. They will remain at the forefront of our minds as we search for the answers their families, and the wider public, desperately seek. This is a sensitive investigation that includes a number of hypotheses, and it would not be appropriate to speculate as we continue to gather evidence.'
Scene Description
Two bodies were yesterday afternoon understood to have been removed with one woman still lying on the pebbles, covered by an orange body bag with two police officers standing over. Police stand on the beach at Black Rock near Brighton Marina where the bodies of three women were pulled from the water. Police vehicles in the Black Rock car park on Madeira Drive earlier on Wednesday. Officers were standing guard by a cordon on a section of the seafront close to Brighton Marina. A large number of patrol cars and a police van were stationed in a nearby car park. People were urged to stay away from the scene while police carry out their investigation which includes scouring CCTV footage from homes and businesses.
Investigation Details
Yesterday morning there were more than a dozen police officers, police vans and cars as well as HM Coastguard Search and Rescue officers and equipment at the scene. Police are still unsure about how the women ended up in the sea or what they had been doing that evening. Locals said Brighton beach was particularly busy on Tuesday night with revellers spilling out onto the beachfront. A source at the Coastguard said the women were in their late teens or early 20s and had been 'fully clothed' when they were pulled from the water. It is understood they were first spotted at Brighton's Palace Pier before drifting to the marina.
Possible Link to Local Event
Residents explained that Quarters, a club on the beach esplanade, runs a weekly student event called CU Next Tuesday which finishes at 4am. Billed as David Attenborough's 100th birthday bash, the Tuesday night event was said to have been 'packed out' with many students spilling out onto the beach.
Emergency Services Response
An HM Coastguard helicopter was seen hovering above the water in the morning, as well as Coastguard Rescue Teams from Shoreham, Newhaven, Littlehampton and Birling Gap. RNLI crews on the Brighton lifeboat and Shoreham all-weather lifeboat were also involved in the search. Three RNLI lifeboats from Sussex were also involved in the search - including the Brighton lifeboat and the Shoreham all-weather lifeboat - which launched at around 6am. They were then stood down.
Local Leaders React
Bella Sankey, the leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, said she was 'shocked and deeply saddened' to hear that three women had died. 'My heart goes out to the friends and family of these women and on behalf of Brighton and Hove, I send sincere condolences,' she said. Chris Ward, the Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, said it was 'deeply tragic news and understandably very concerning for our community and everyone affected'. 'I would like to thank our emergency services for their swift response and the difficult work they continue to carry out at the scene,' he added.
