What a tragedy.

[steveindenmark]

I saw the events of the Christmas Day swim on the south coast and was shocked that anyone would go into seas like that in Winter. I grew up 200m from the North sea.

Today there is a recovery mission going on in my home town of Withernsea, East Yorkshire.

4 people ended up in the water, not sure how. One has been recovered dead and the other three are still missing. It was a recovery mission because the seas were so heavy the lifeboat could not launch.

What a complete waste of life.

https://www.itv.com/news/calendar/2...h5el0kr1w7zfm7347J_aem_LMsl65tuecrYAq_h6Py44w

 

[DRM]

It also puts at risk those who get called to rescue them

 

[Drago]

Being ex (land) SAR ive drummed it into Mrs D and Mini D that this is the sort of weather that kills the unwary. Why anyone would want to go near, never mind in, the water is beyond me.

Fingers crossed today's search has a positive result, but the odds are not good at all.

 

[oxoman]

Unfortunately it does happen. My local Cave rescue spent 10hrs rescuing a group from down an old mine and Mountain rescue pulled some people off the Cairngorm plateau in blizzard conditions in just trackie bottoms. Just makes you wonder why people take the risk.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Cairngorm details here.

Hillwalkers rescued after getting stuck in wintry conditions in Cairngorms https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgj4jzv24ko

Crazy to have set out, crazy not to have turned back when it was obvious they were well out of their depth.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Cairngorm details here.

Hillwalkers rescued after getting stuck in wintry conditions in Cairngorms https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgj4jzv24ko

Crazy to have set out, crazy not to have turned back when it was obvious they were well out of their depth.

These idiots make my blood boil.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Like @DRM and @SpokeyDokey, I think those who do such stupid acts are not only putting themselves in danger, but also endangering those who are expected to rescue them, or attempt to rescue them! Regarding the Christmas Day swim, a local on the radio the following day said the water must've been freezing and the sea was especially choppy that day. With 'huge waves' making her keep her dog away from the water, as the dog usually goes in for a paddle, but it just wasn't safe, fearing the dog could've been swept out to sea. Even if my shower suddenly goes cold, which often happens, it takes my breath away. Diving into freezing water definitely isn't a sensible thing to do!

 

[Sharky]

Some of you may remember this tragic story ....

Venture Scouts Emma Ray, 29, Paul Hopkins 28, Matthew Lewis, 28, and Ian Edwards, 30, from Dartford and Wilmington all died on the mountain peak in the Ben Nevis range where they were on a winter skills training course in December 1998.

Ironic that they were on a skills training course.
The father of one of them was a very active cyclist in Dartford and another member of the party, who didn't go out on that day was a friend.

A very sad day.

 

[oxoman]

I've done winter skills training at Glenmore that uses the Cairngorm area for training and even though only 1 mile from the ski slopes and carpark in a whiteout we may as well have at the north pole such was the conditions. Doing navigation via map and compass without seeing anything is a skill-set that very few can do properly. Some of the instructors at Glenmore would assist the local MRT at times. Those muppets had nothing.

 

[craigwend]

2 bodies now

No details yet, so perhaps not be as judgemental

FURTHER UPDATE - Friday, 2 January 2026 - 23.20pm

We can now confirm that earlier this evening (Friday, 2 January 2026) a second body was recovered from the sea. The circumstances are not believed to be suspicious.

Humberside Police officers along with HM Coastguard, Yorkshire Ambulance Service and Humberside Fire & Rescue, remain in the area as searches continue for one more person who entered the water this afternoon.

We continue to ask that people avoid the area to allow emergency services to work efficiently and safely.

Read the initial update: https://ow.ly/rgix50XReZL

 

[Mike Ayling]

Some of you may remember this tragic story ....

Venture Scouts Emma Ray, 29, Paul Hopkins 28, Matthew Lewis, 28, and Ian Edwards, 30, from Dartford and Wilmington all died on the mountain peak in the Ben Nevis range where they were on a winter skills training course in December 1998.

Ironic that they were on a skills training course.
The father of one of them was a very active cyclist in Dartford and another member of the party, who didn't go out on that day was a friend.

A very sad day.

Judging by their reported ages I think that the word Leader appear after the word Scouts..
The training course leaders must have had a lot of explaining to do.

 

[Mike Ayling]

I saw the events of the Christmas Day swim on the south coast and was shocked that anyone would go into seas like that in Winter. I grew up 200m from the North sea.

Today there is a recovery mission going on in my home town of Withernsea, East Yorkshire.

4 people ended up in the water, not sure how. One has been recovered dead and the other three are still missing. It was a recovery mission because the seas were so heavy the lifeboat could not launch.

What a complete waste of life.

https://www.itv.com/news/calendar/2...h5el0kr1w7zfm7347J_aem_LMsl65tuecrYAq_h6Py44w

View attachment 796845

View attachment 796846

We have had a few drownings here Downunda as well also in heavy seas.
Darwin strikes again

 

[katiewlx]

Cairngorm details here.

Hillwalkers rescued after getting stuck in wintry conditions in Cairngorms https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgj4jzv24ko

Crazy to have set out, crazy not to have turned back when it was obvious they were well out of their depth.

they may not have had the skillset to know they were out of their depth, I think things like that happen at Cairngorm (and other mountain ranges in the UK) because people do think its just a bit of hillwalking, and they dont really think of it as climbing a mountain range. so what may appear obvious to others might not have to them.

the humberside one, there arent really enough details being released yet, but I think it will turn out to be just one of those tragic accidents that happen on our coastline from time to time.

and I dont have an issue with people doing Christmas/New Year dip things, as long as the risks are known, and they understand them.