Clacton Pier incident: what happened in Clacton-on-Sea amid UK heatwave - were swimmers dragged by current?

Police have started to scale back the search for a missing swimmer after five others were pulled from the water near Clacton Pier.

Emergency services were called to the scene on Tuesday 19 July after reports that a group of swimmers had gone missing in the water near the Essex resort town.

Five people had been pulled from the water and taken to hospital the same day, but a 21-year-old man has been left unaccounted for.

A helicopter had been patrolling the area and police and coastguard services were also attending to help locate the missing swimmer, however this has now been scaled back.

What happened at Clacton Pier?

Nigel Brown, communications manager for Clacton Pier, told PA the current appeared to have “dragged” a group under the pier.

Staff threw lifebelt rings over the side to help some of those in trouble, he said.

He said: “Eight of them were in the water but my understanding is four or five got into difficulty.

“My understanding is one person was missing.

“The group that were in the water were very worried about one person they couldn’t see and were saying, ‘There’s one missing’.

“As far as I know, that person’s still missing. They’ve had the helicopter up.”

Mr Brown said it was “difficult to tell their ages” but he believed some were in their late teens to early 20s and fully clothed.

On Tuesday 19 July, EEAS said: “A large response, including two ambulances, four Hazardous Area Response Team Vehicles and Essex and Herts Air Ambulance, was sent to Clacton Beach this morning following reports of a number of people in difficulty in the water.

“Five patients were assessed at the scene. One male and one female were transported to Colchester Hospital for further assessment and care.

“Three males were discharged at the scene. Crews remain on-site as one male remains unaccounted for.”

However, emergency services have now confirmed that the coastguard has given noticed that the search party was being scaled back.

What have the emergency services said?

Essex Police confirmed that the missing swimmer had not been found yet, but that at this time, the 21-year-old man was still being classed as a missing person.

Officers said in a statement: “A largescale search was launched after reports of six people being in difficulty in the water close to Clacton Pier shortly before 11am on Tuesday July 19.

“Five people were thankfully brought to shore, however one man, aged 21, has still not been accounted for.

“As the appropriate authority, we are attempting to make contact with the family of the 21-year-old man who, at this stage, is being treated as a missing person.”

EEAS confirmed that the five people - four men and one woman - had been transferred to Colchester Hospital after they were rescued from the water.