A significant rescue operation is currently underway following reports of several individuals encountering trouble in the waters near Withernsea.

Authorities responded to the distress call off the East Yorkshire coast shortly after 3 p.m. on Friday.

This incident occurs just a day after the cancellation of the annual New Year’s Day swim due to hazardous, large waves making the sea unsafe for participants.

In a separate incident, a man in his 50s tragically lost his life after experiencing difficulties at Brighton beach the previous day.

Efforts to assist those in need have mobilized HM Coastguard, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, Humberside Police, and Humberside Fire and Rescue, all of whom are actively involved in the rescue mission.

Support from the skies includes a rescue helicopter, an air ambulance, and another aircraft, while sea rescue efforts are bolstered by Withernsea’s RNLI inshore lifeboat, along with all-weather lifeboats from Bridlington and Hornsea Inshore Rescue.

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. 

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 response includes police and HM Coastguard 

A line of blue lights flash along the sea front 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’. 

HM Coastguard confirmed reports of the incident were received at about 3:10pm. 

A spokesperson told ITV News: ‘An HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft have been sent as well as Coastguard Rescue Teams from Withernsea, Hornsea and Hull.

‘The RNLI’s inshore lifeboat from Withernsea and all-weather lifeboat from Bridlington are assisting, as well as 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 was ongoing as of 5pm this evening. 

The large scale operation includes crews from across all emergency services 

The flight path of the Coastguard helicopter flying over the area as part of the rescue mission 

The Coastguard plane has been doing laps of the area as part of the operation 

Hornsea Inshore Rescue confirmed on social media that it had deployed a casualty care crew to the scene due to ‘horrendous conditions’ in the water. 

In a post shared on Facebook, it wrote:  ‘Called out, unable to launch lifeboat due to horrendous conditions and three metre waves breaking on our slipway which would knock the tractor and trailer sideways off the ramp.

‘Our 4×4 vehicle [is] en route to Withernsea with casualty care crew.’

A planning promenade parkrun, set to be held on Saturday, has been cancelled due to the ongoing incident and the cold temperatures.