The search operation off the coast at Withernsea has now been fully stood down by HM Coastguard after continuing into a second day, with police now leading the ongoing investigation.
Emergency services had resumed shoreline searches on Saturday morning for one remaining missing person, but coastguard-led search activity was later concluded around 4pm. On Sunday morning, HM Coastguard confirmed it would not be resuming any further search activity.
Officers from Humberside Police remain in the area as inquiries continue into the tragedy, which has already claimed two lives.
Police have also urged caution around unverified accounts of events, after what they called “inaccurate” details circulated in the wider media, and have stressed that confirmed information will be released when appropriate.
Meanwhile, the Methodist Church in Hull Road, Withernsea, will be open on Sunday morning from around 10am, with a service at 10.30am.
In a statement, the church said its service would be “quiet, prayerful and reflective” as the community remembers “the tragic events of the last 48 hours, the lives that have been lost, and the grieving families and friends”.
“All will be welcome to come and spend this gentle time with us, in quietness, in prayer or just to be around other folk, at this time of great loss,” said Rev Ian Greenfield.
The major emergency response was first launched on Friday afternoon after reports of people in difficulty in the water off the central promenade at Withernsea.
Police were called to the scene at around 3.15pm, with HM Coastguard confirming the first alert was received at about 3.10pm. A large multi-agency operation was quickly deployed, involving police, fire, ambulance and maritime rescue services.
Assets sent to the scene included coastguard search and rescue helicopters and a fixed-wing aircraft, Coastguard rescue teams from Withernsea, Hornsea, Hull and Bridlington, RNLI lifeboats from Withernsea and Bridlington, and Hornsea Inshore Rescue. Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, Yorkshire Ambulance Service and an air ambulance were also in attendance.
Conditions at the time were severe, with freezing temperatures, a strong incoming tide and rough seas. Hornsea Inshore Rescue reported waves of around three metres breaking on the slipway in the afternoon, making it too dangerous for a launch, although its 4×4 vehicle and volunteers were present to support the wider response.
As daylight faded, on Friday, helicopters and aircraft continued to search just offshore, while the seafront and surrounding streets were cordoned off due to the scale of the operation. A second coastguard helicopter later arrived from Wales to take over aerial searches, which continued well after darkness had fallen.
During the initial searches, emergency services recovered an unconscious man from the water. Despite the best efforts of crews at the scene, the man, aged 67, was pronounced dead a short time later. Police said the circumstances surrounding his death were not believed to be suspicious.
Later on Friday evening, police confirmed that a second body had also been recovered from the sea. The identity of the second person has not been confirmed, and the circumstances are not believed to be suspicious.
The search was stood down overnight at around 12.30am before resuming at first light on Saturday.
An update from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency at 9.30am on Saturday confirmed that searches had resumed, with coastguard rescue teams and police deployed to search for one remaining missing person.
However, conditions deteriorated further during the morning, with heavy snowfall affecting the seafront and reducing visibility. Coastguard and fire service personnel were later seen scouring the rocks along the shoreline, but access to the beach was limited as the tide began to come in during the afternoon.
Following the second day of activity, HM Coastguard confirmed that its search operation had been fully stood down, with police continuing inquiries.