A man has died following a fall from a catamaran in the English Channel, with his body recovered after an extensive maritime search operation.
The tragedy unfolded near the Rampion Offshore Wind Farm, situated off the East Sussex coast close to Newhaven, when the man went overboard from what authorities described as a luxury vessel.
Emergency services launched a major search effort after a woman aboard the yacht raised the alarm at approximately 10.20am on Sunday, though police were not notified until 11.40am.
The man's body was subsequently recovered from the water and his family have been notified of his death.
Multiple rescue assets were deployed in the search operation, including RNLI lifeboats from both Shoreham and Newhaven harbours.
A Coastguard rescue helicopter joined the effort alongside a fixed-wing aircraft operated by HM Coastguard, whilst two vessels in the vicinity also assisted with the search.
The coordinated response began at 10.19am when HM Coastguard first received reports of someone having gone overboard from a vessel in waters off Newhaven.
Despite the comprehensive search involving air and sea resources, the operation concluded tragically when rescuers located the man's body in the water near the wind farm.
RNLI lifeboats were deployed to rescue the man
|WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Sussex Police confirmed they were alerted by HM Coastguard at 11.40am on Sunday about the incident, approximately 80 minutes after the initial distress call.
A police spokesperson stated: "The man has been identified and his next-of-kin have been informed. Our thoughts are with them at this difficult time."
Officers are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, with a spokesperson noting that enquiries remain ongoing.
No additional information has been released at this stage as authorities work to establish the full details of the tragedy.
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The tragedy happened just off the coast of Newhaven
|GETTY
Local residents expressed their sympathy following the incident, with community members praising the efforts of rescue teams who responded to the emergency.