Three surfers have died after they got caught in a ripe tide while out at sea.
The trio were among a group of seven people, including four children, on boards in the water when they got into trouble.
The four young people, whose ages are unknown, were located safely on shore, but two adults were given CPR at the scene, in Mawgan Porth, near Newquay, Cornwall.
All three adults, believed to be a female in her 30s, and two men, one in his 50s and another between 25 and 30, were airlifted to hospital.
But, despite doctors best efforts they died a short while later.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said it received multiple 999 calls from people at the beach from around 1.15pm yesterday (Sun) and emergency services were sent.
It said in a statement: “The group who got into difficulty consisted of seven people with boards in the water; four people were all located safe and well on shore but three adults were recovered from the water.
“Two of those recovered from the water were given CPR at the scene.
“The three casualties were transferred to hospital by the rescue helicopter from RNAS Culdrose and both the Devon and Cornwall Air Ambulances.”
Falmouth Coastguard was called at 1.15pm and scrambled the air ambulances from Devon and Cornwall, along with the Sea King helicopter from RNAS Culdrose to the beach.
The incident also involved lifeboat crews from Newquay and Padstow, coastguard rescue teams, as well as at least six police cars and several ambulances.
A spokeswoman for South Western Ambulance Service said: “We took the call at 13.31 and were initially told there were seven people caught in a rip tide.
“There were three people who are sadly deceased, and four walking wounded with no obvious injuries.”
A Falmouth Coastguard spokesman added that the three surfers were taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital, in Treliske, by “a combination of rescue helicopter from Culdrose and two air ambulances.”
The Merrymoor Inn at Mawgan Porth, which overlooks the beach, said it had been dealing with the emergency services this afternoon.
A pub spokesman said: “The emergency services were here incredibly quickly. It was out of this world.
“They brought some of them into the pub wrapped in blankets but it is terrible, what has happened.”
