Two bodies recovered with one other missing amid search for missing group who got into difficulty in sea

Emergency services were called to the East Yorkshire coastal area after 3pm on Friday afternoon.

Shortly after 10pm, Humberside Police confirmed a 67-year-old man had died with the second person being confirmed dead about an hour later.

A Humberside Police spokesperson said: "We can now confirm that earlier this evening, a second body was recovered from the sea. The circumstances are not believed to be suspicious.

"Humberside Police officers along with HM Coastguard, Yorkshire Ambulance Service and Humberside Fire & Rescue, remain in the area as searches continue for one more person who entered the water this afternoon.

"We continue to ask that people avoid the area to allow emergency services to work efficiently and safely."

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After the earlier discovery of a 67-year-old man's body, the force said: "Officers were called to attend Central Promenade in Withernsea following reports of concern for safety for people in the water at around 3.15pm.

“During the initial searches, emergency services recovered an unconscious man from the water.

“Despite the best efforts we can confirm a 67-year-old man died a short time later at the scene.

“The circumstances around his death are not thought to be suspicious."

The traditional New Year's Day swim event which takes place every year had to be called off yesterday after large breaking waves were spotted in the North Sea.

It is the latest operation caused by the traditional festive dips, after two men went missing on Christmas morning in Devon.

Meanwhile, a man in his 50s died after getting into difficulty at Brighton beach on New Year's Day.

HM Coastguard, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, Humberside Police, and Humberside Fire and Rescue have all deployed crews to try and rescue those unaccounted for.

A rescue helicopter, air ambulance, Withernsea's RNLI inshore lifeboat, an all-weather lifeboat for a nearby Inshore Rescue are all attending the scene.

A cordon has been put in place along the Withernsea seafront as more than 100 members of the emergency service take part in the seatch.

The coastguard confirmed around 7pm that it was search for two people, after earlier saying it was searching for "a number of people".

It is unknown whether anyone has yet been rescued.

A spokesperson for HM Coastguard said: "HM Coastguard is searching for two missing people in the water off Withernsea today, 2 January.

"First alerted to reports of people in difficulty in the water at around 3.10pm, assets sent to the scene include an HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft, Coastguard Rescue Teams from Withernsea, Hornsea and Hull, the RNLI's inshore lifeboat from Withernsea and all-weather lifeboat from Bridlington, and Hornsea Inshore Rescue.

"Yorkshire Ambulance Service has been sent as well as an air ambulance. Humberside Police and Humberside Fire and Rescue are also in attendance."

The incident comes amid a yellow weather warning for snow and ice on the Yorkshire coast.

Snow showers are expected overnight, with the Met Office reporting one to three cm of snow as likely.