NewsUK NewsNorthumbria PoliceOne man has died and another is in a serious condition in hospital after the pair got into difficulty in the sea at Cullercoats beach in North Tyneside, police said11:14, 20 Jul 2026Updated 11:35, 20 Jul 2026A man has died and another is in a serious condition after getting into difficulty in the sea in North Tyneside, police have said.‌Emergency services were called amid concerns for two men in the sea at Cullercoats beach at around 6.30pm on Sunday, Northumbria Police said.‌A rescue operation pulled them out of the water but one of the men, aged in his 20s, died at the scene.‌The second man, also in his 20s, was taken to hospital where he remained in a serious but stable condition, Northumbria Police said.Both men's next of kin have been informed and are being supported, the force said.‌Witnesses told how the waves "were about three or four feet" and that it had been a "rough day" when the men vanished, reports Chronicle Live.Julie Anne, who swims at the beach every day, said she witnessed the huge rescue effort, with several throwing a rescue buoy into the water.Chief Inspector Simon Wotton of Northumbria Police said: "This is an absolutely tragic incident and the thoughts of everyone here at Northumbria Police are with anyone affected by this incident.‌"We'd like to thank our partner agencies who were there working alongside police last night, and I am sure they are just as saddened by this outcome as we are."We know this will be a greatly shocking and distressing incident for those involved and for the local community, but we'd ask the public to respect the privacy of anyone who may have been affected."Article continues belowA spokesperson for the RNLI said: "We were tasked by the coastguard at 18.23 on Sunday 19th July, in response to a person in the water and launched within minutes as part of a multi-agency operation."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.Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌Breaking NewsNorthumbria PoliceSave Lives for SamDrownings