Body recovered off West Sussex coast during major search operation
A person’s body was recovered from the sea off the West Sussex coast on Sunday (August 30), emergency services confirmed this morning (Monday, August 31).
A major search operation was launched off the coast of Selsey on Sunday morning.
Multiple lifeboats were also despatched to the scene.
Sussex Police officers, including detectives, were at the scene.
A spokesperson for HM Coastguard said: “Coastguard rescue teams from Bembridge, Ventnor, Needles, Hayling Island and Hill Head were sent along with an HM Coastguard helicopter.
“Hampshire Police attended. RNLI lifeboats from Hayling, Portsmouth, Selsey, Cowes and Bembridge as well as the Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Service lifeboat.”
A spokesperson for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said officers searching for a woman, who was reported missing on Saturday morning (August 29), confirmed a body was found in Selsey.
The spokesperson said: “Officers searching for missing Gayelynn Matthews have found a body. Formal identification has not yet taken place, but her family have been informed.
“The death is not being treated as suspicious and a file is being prepared for the coroner.”