By GEMMA PARRY

Published: 18:56 GMT, 2 January 2026 | Updated: 21:46 GMT, 2 January 2026

A major rescue mission has been launched after 'a number of people' have been reported as being in difficulty in the sea off Withernsea. 

Emergency crews were called to the area off the East Yorkshire coast just after 3pm on Friday afternoon. 

It comes just one day after people were not allowed to enter the sea for the annual New Year's Day swim event due to large breaking waves. 

Meanwhile, a man in his 50s died after getting into difficulty at Brighton beach yesterday.

HM Coastguard, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, Humberside Police, and Humberside Fire and Rescue have all scrambled crews to try and rescue those in trouble this afternoon.

A rescue helicopter, air ambulance and another aircraft have also been deployed, and Withernsea's RNLI inshore lifeboat alongside an all-weather lifeboat from Bridlington and Hornsea Inshore Rescue are in attendance.

A large cordon has been put in place along the seafront in a major rescue mission involving more than 100 members of the emergency services. 

Yorkshire Ambulance Service initially said four people had entered the water. But by 7.15pm on Friday, HM Coastguard said it was searching for two people, having previously said it was reporting to 'a number of people in difficulty in the water'.

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 a likelihood of around one to three cm of snow, with up to eight cm possible in places. 

It's due to an Arctic chill, with the Met Office expecting daytime temperatures across the UK to struggle to breach 0C (32F) and could even fall into the minus double digits over the coming days.

Emergency crews are at the scene in Withernsea 

Emergency service responders included police and HM Coastguard 

A line of blue lights flash along the seafront as the rescue operation continues 

The HM Coastguard helicopter hovers above the sea as part of the rescue operation 

Yesterday, a New Year's Day swim had to be cancelled due to the serious weather conditions. 

Hornsea Inshore Rescue wrote on Facebook on Thursday: 'Unfortunately the sea conditions were just not suitable today for us to condone anyone entering the water, with the tide still flowing and large breaking waves on the edge, we had to make the unfortunate decision not to do the dip in the sea.' 

Resident Darrin Stevens told the BBC he had seen lots of emergency crews near the beach on Friday, adding: 'It's just blue lights, wall-to-wall from one side to the other'.