A woman’s body has been found on a beach near Eastbourne Pier after emergency services searched the water off the Sussex coast.
The discovery was made at about 8.18am on Saturday, following a multi-agency search launched on Friday afternoon when unattended items were found towards the west of Eastbourne.
An eyewitness said the woman appeared to be wearing a wetsuit. Sussex Police said the death was not being treated as suspicious and that her next of kin had been informed.
The Eastbourne RNLI inshore lifeboat joined Coastguard Rescue Teams from Eastbourne and Birling Gap, an HM Coastguard helicopter and Sussex Police officers in the search.
An RNLI spokesperson said: “Solent Coastguard requested our volunteer crew to assist with a multi-agency search after unattended items had been located towards the west of Eastbourne.
“The ILB carried out a shoreline search alongside local Coastguard Rescue Teams, the coastguard helicopter ‘Rescue 363’ and Sussex Police officers.”
A Sussex Police spokesman said officers had been called to reports of a woman’s body on the beach by Marine Parade, Eastbourne, and that a report was being prepared for HM Coroner.
“The death is not being treated as suspicious and her next of kin have been informed,” the spokesman said.
