Police in Brighton have confirmed that they have identified three women whose bodies were recovered in the sea off the city's coast yesterday morning. The discovery was made by a member of the public who alerted the authorities to the incident at approximately 9am on Wednesday.
According to eyewitness reports, the bodies were found near the Brighton Pier, with police working to establish the circumstances surrounding their deaths. An investigation is currently underway, with officers from Sussex Police working closely with colleagues from the Marine Unit to determine the cause of the tragedy.
As the investigation continues, police have urged anyone with information about the incident to come forward. Witnesses are being asked to contact the police on 101 or via the Sussex Police website.
The weather conditions at the time of the incident were reportedly poor, with strong winds and rough seas affecting the area. Met Office data shows that a high tide warning was in place for the region at the time, with wind speeds reaching up to 40mph and wave heights exceeding 6 metres.
Regional breakdowns for the UK show that the weather was also causing concerns in other parts of the country, with a yellow wind warning in place for parts of Scotland and Wales. The Met Office advises that the public should be aware of the risk of coastal flooding and disruption to travel.