Woman dies due to getting cut off by the tide near Eastbourne

Various emergency service teams attended the incident at Birling Gap on Sunday (October 24) which involved three people being cut off by the tide.

Multiple coastguard teams, Newhaven lifeboat, the coastguard helicopter, air ambulance, multiple ambulance crews and Sussex Police were seen at the incident.

A spokesperson for Newhaven RNLI said, “At 12.40pm on Sunday October 24, Newhaven RNLI was tasked by HM Coastguard to reports of three people cut off by the tide at Birling Gap Beach. Two of those people were able to make their own way to safety.

“Newhaven lifeboat attended the scene where the all-weather lifeboat’s smaller inflatable lifeboat was deployed. Following a brief search the volunteer crew recovered the third person who was swiftly transferred to the waiting medical personnel on the beach and subsequently airlifted to hospital.”

A spokesperson for South East Coast Ambulance said ambulance crews attended with the air ambulance and the coastguard helicopter was already on scene when crews arrived.

The spokesperson said, “We were called to reports a person had been pulled from the water. The person was given emergency treatment at the scene and airlifted to a London hospital in a serious condition by the coastguard helicopter with the air ambulance team also travelling on board.”

Sussex Police has now confirmed a woman sadly died.

A police spokesperson said, “Emergency services were called to cliffs near Eastbourne at 1.55pm on Sunday (October 24) to reports of a woman in the water.

“After being brought ashore by the coastguard, the woman, a 26-year-old from Redhill, sadly died in hospital.

“No further information is available at this time.”