Overview
- HM Coastguard received the first call at about 2:45pm on Tuesday and Shoreham lifeboat launched around 2:50pm in response to reports of people in difficulty off Shoreham Harbour.
- Rescue assets deployed include an HM Coastguard helicopter, Shoreham and Brighton RNLI lifeboats, and Littlehampton, Shoreham and Newhaven coastguard rescue teams.
- South East Coast Ambulance Service said it was sending multiple ambulance crews and two air ambulances were seen standing by at the lifeboat station.
- A section of the A259 (Brighton Road) between New Road and Kingston Lane has been closed to keep the public clear while the response continues and authorities have not confirmed the condition of the four people.
- The multi-agency response highlights the risks of open-water rescues on the Sussex coast and officials say they will provide further updates as crews complete rescues and hand patients to ambulance teams.