A body has been recovered from the sea at Freshwater Bay, Police have confirmed. The news marks a tragic end to a search and rescue operation that was launched to locate a person reported to be in the water at just gone 09:30 this morning (Thursday). As first reported by Island Echo, emergency services descended on the West Wight beauty spot with Coastguard Rescue Teams from The Needles and Ventnor, Yarmouth RNLI Lifeboat, Police and ambulance crews all joining the operation. Despite the best efforts of all involved, a body was located and recovered ashore at around 11:00. It is unknown at this stage how the person – thought to be an elderly male – came to be in the water. A spokesperson for Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary has said:
”Officers are currently dealing with an incident following the discovery of a body in the water near Freshwater Bay. “Our enquiries are ongoing, however the death is not being treated as suspicious and the Coroner has been informed”.
