Newquay live: Fistral Beach horror as two dead after being pulled from sea in Cornwall

Newquay live: Fistral Beach horror as two dead after being pulled from sea in Cornwall Devon and Cornwall Police, coastguard and the ambulance service all rushed to Fistral Beach in Newquay, with a helicopter circling the area A man and a woman have been pronounced dead at the scene after being pulled from the water at a popular beach in Cornwall. Police, coastguard and the ambulance service have all been deployed at Fistral Beach in Newquay since last night. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) confirmed two lifeboats were launched yesterday at around 9.30pm. Witnesses described seeing up to nine emergency vehicles at the beach, with a rescue helicopter also circling overhead, CornwallLive reports. Cornwall Police said the families of the two dead have been informed. The Mirror has launched the Save Lives For Sam water safety campaign to tackle the UK's growing drowning crisis. Backed by MPs, Olympic champions, national water safety organisations and bereaved families, the campaign is calling for urgent action to make our waters safer. Find out more about the campaign and how you can support it here. Key Events Devon and Cornwall Police have now confirmed that the woman who lost her life at Fistral Beach was aged in her 30s, while the man was in his 60s. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. The full police statement reads: "Police were called by the South Western Ambulance Service at around 9.45pm on Sunday 26 July following reports that two people had been recovered from the water at Fistral Beach, Newquay. "Coastguard rescue teams from Newquay, Padstow and St Agnes, and lifeboats from Newquay RNLI and a HM Coastguard helicopter were also in attendance. "Sadly, a woman in her 30s and a man in his 60s were pronounced deceased at the scene. Their families have been informed, and our thoughts are with them at this extremely difficult time. "A cordon was also put in place while the emergency services worked at the scene. This has since been removed. "A file will be prepared for HM Coroner." People at Fistral Beach this morning were not sure if the man and woman who lost their lives were local or holiday makers, CornwallLive reports. Surfer Mason, 38 and from Bournemouth, said: "There are very strong rips off the rocks there, it's a real shame." The Bunn family from West Sussex added: "It's really sad. We were at the headland and could see the helicopter and lights from there. It looked like there were lots of ambulances up on the hill." The latest tragedy comes after two men were pulled from the sea at a popular beach off the south coast yesterday afternoon. Emergency services were called to West Wittering beach after two adults were seen in the water near Beach Café. Two men were pulled from the sea with paramedics treating both but despite the best efforts of medics, one of the men, aged 55, was pronounced dead at the scene. Read the full story here. Below are some pictures taken by CornwallLive of Fistral Beach in Newquay this morning. It has been confirmed a police cordon was put in place at the time of the incident but this has since been removed. HM Coastguard Padstow has issued a statement on the incident in which a man and a woman lost their lives at Fistral Beach in Newquay. It reads: "The team were tasked to join Newquay coastguard search & rescue team with an incident in South Fistral. "Newquay RNLI Lifeboats, Coastguard Rescue helicopter 924, Devon & Cornwall Police, South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, Critical Care Team and HMCG duty SCOO S11D were also in attendance. "St Agnes Coastguard Search & Rescue Team were tasked later into the evening and were stood down on route. "No further details will be provided. Our thoughts are with those involved. "If you see someone in trouble on, or near, the coast, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard. Stay safe." Around 40 people have lost their lives to drowning so far this summer. There were 29 drownings in May and June and a further eight as of July 13 following extended periods of heatwaves and very warm weather. Heatwaves have been raging throughout Europe and have been linked to hundreds of deaths across the continent. Nearly 100 people, mainly young men, died by drowning in Germany last month, local authorities said. RNLI has published a six-step guide on how to attempt rescuing someone from drowning without risking your own life. - Keep alert - If you suspect someone might be struggling in water, ask if they need help. If they say yes or don't answer at all, act. - Resist temptation - Don't be tempted to go in the water as it might be cold, limiting your ability to swim. - Call 999 - Call the emergency services as soon as possible or ask someone else to do it while you try to help the casualty. - Shout and signal - As you have a better view of the area from the shore compared to the casualty, encourage them to stay calm and float and remind them to kick their legs gently. - Find a rescue aid - If you spot a lifering, throw bag filled with rope or other public rescue equipment nearby, wuickly read any instructions provided and throw it to the casualty. If there is now public rescue aid equipment, throw anything that will float. - Safe rescue - Get down on one knee or lie down so you don't fall in the water while attempting to pull the casualty in. If rescue attempts fail, keep sight of the casualty to help emergency services locate them quicker. The Mirror has launched the Save Lives For Sam water safety campaign to tackle the UK's growing drowning crisis. Backed by MPs, Olympic champions, national water safety organisations and bereaved families, the campaign is calling for urgent action to make our waters safer. That includes compulsory water safety lessons in schools, a nationwide public awareness campaign, better lifesaving equipment at high-risk waterways, the introduction of Sam's Law, and a dedicated Minister for Water Safety. Find out more about the campaign and how you can support it here. The full HM Coastguard statement confirming the deaths of a man and a woman reads: "Police were called by the South Western Ambulance Service at around 9.45pm on Sunday 26 July following reports that two people had been recovered from the water at Fistral Beach, Newquay. "Emergency services attended and a cordon was put in place, which has since been removed. "Sadly, a man and a woman were pronounced deceased at the scene. "Their families have been informed, and our thoughts are with them at this extremely difficult time. "A file will be prepared for HM Coroner." A man and a woman have been pronounced dead, HM Coastguard has confirmed. Their next of kin have been informed. More to follow. Fistral Beach in Newquay is known as "the home of British surfing", with all big UK surf competitions, including Boardmasters Surf Championships, taking place there. This is due to its consistent waves and ideal surfing conditions, which include "powerful, hollow waves" regularly reaching heights of between 6 and 8 feet. Visit Cornwall states: "The golden sands, wild Atlantic swells and consistent crashing waves of Fistral Beach have gained it prominence over the years as the home of British surfing, whilst its high cliffs, rolling sand dunes, and dramatic headlands are recognised for their outstanding beauty." The latest statement from HM Coastguard reads: "HM Coastguard has been responding to an incident in the South Fistral area, Newquay, overnight. "First informed at around 9.30pm (26 July), Coastguard Rescue Teams from Newquay, Padstow and St Agnes, lifeboats from Newquay RNLI and an HM Coastguard helicopter were sent to the scene, alongside other emergency services." Good morning and thank you for joining our live coverage of this incident. We will bring you updates as soon as we have them. A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police told the Mirror that HM Coastguard has primacy on this incident.