Body of woman 'wearing a wetsuit' washes up on Eastbourne beach a day after RNLI scoured the water

From the Newshound archive · first published 3 October 2026 · last updated 5 October 2026.

A member of the public found the woman's body on the shoreline near Marine Parade, Eastbourne, at around 8.20am on Saturday, nearly 17 hours after emergency crews were first called out. Sussex Police say the death is not being treated as suspicious and a report is being prepared for the coroner.

Emergency services were first called at 3.30pm Friday after reports of a concern for welfare, with an RNLI inshore lifeboat, coastguard helicopter 'Rescue 363' and Sussex Police all scouring the water.

Unattended items found towards the west of Eastbourne triggered the multi-agency search, according to an RNLI spokesman.