Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleThree women died after being recovered from the sea off Brighton on Wednesday morning, prompting a police investigation into the circumstances of their deaths. Emergency services were alerted around 5.45am after concerns for a person in the water near Brighton Palace Pier, leading to a large-scale search and rescue operation. Sussex Police believe they have identified all three women, and their next of kin have been informed, with formal identification procedures currently underway before public release of their names. Chief Superintendent Adam Hays described the incident as a "heartbreaking tragedy" and urged the public to avoid speculation, noting that investigators are exploring "a number of hypotheses" but currently have no evidence of third-party involvement or criminality. Local officials, including Brighton & Hove City Council leader Bella Sankey and MP Peter Kyle, expressed profound sadness over the incident, while police continue to appeal for any information that could assist Operation Ledmore. In fullPolice believed to have identified bodies of women found in sea in Brighton as investigation continuesMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in