Two individuals, a man, and a woman were tragically found deceased at Fistral Beach in Cornwall. The emergency response involving the police, coastguard, and ambulance services commenced at the beach following the incident. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) confirmed the launch of two lifeboats around 9.30 pm the previous day.
Witnesses reported the presence of up to nine emergency vehicles at the scene, including a rescue helicopter circling overhead, according to CornwallLive. Cornwall Police have notified the families of the deceased individuals.
HM Coastguard Padstow issued a statement regarding the incident at Fistral Beach, expressing their involvement in the search and rescue operation. Various emergency units, including Newquay RNLI Lifeboats, Coastguard Rescue helicopter 924, Devon & Cornwall Police, South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, and others, were also on site.
St Agnes Coastguard Search & Rescue Team was later tasked but stood down en route. The statement emphasized no further details would be disclosed, extending thoughts to those affected and urging the public to call 999 in coastal emergencies.
Tragically, 40 individuals have lost their lives to drowning this summer, with a significant number of incidents occurring during the heatwaves impacting Europe. RNLI has released a six-step guide for safe water rescues. The Mirror initiated the “Save Lives For Sam” water safety campaign, advocating for measures such as mandatory water safety lessons, increased awareness campaigns, improved equipment, Sam’s Law, and a dedicated Minister for Water Safety to address the rising drowning crisis in the UK.