Major incident is declared at Bournemouth beach after three young people are dragged out to sea

Air ambulances were seen landing on Bournemouth beach after a major incident this afternoon which saw three young people dragged out to sea.

Eye-witnesses reported seeing three young men, possibly teenagers, being carried out to sea in the incident just after 4.30pm 

Another member of the public said that one was pulled from the water and had to be given CPR on the beach by lifeguards before being taken away by air ambulance.

Coastguard helicopters have been circling overhead and multiple coastguard crews, RNLI lifeboats, the fire service, police cars and ambulance crews are at the scene.

An air ambulance has landed on the beach and another one has been hovering over the sand.

Emergency crews were called to Bournemouth beach at approximately 4:40 this afternoon after reports of a serious incident

Thousands of people had been soaking up the sun and playing in the water in the 23C heat during the May half term holiday.

Beachgoer Ritta Saruchera said her daughter and her friend were in the sea at the time when they saw what happened.

She said: ‘They were coming back out of the water when they saw a teenage boy struggling. There was another one floating in the water.

‘We went to get help from the lifeguard and inform them of what was happening. There were three young men out there and they have been searching for a fourth.’

Paul Moyce, 61, said he believed those involved had been jumping into the sea off the pier.

He said: ‘I think they went off the end of the pier and went out too far. They must have got caught by the current. I lived here for 61 years band I’ve never seen anything like it.’

A local resident posted on social media: ‘My daughter is there. She rang me to say they were doing CPR on someone from the water, she thinks there are more.’

A spokesperson for Dorset police told MailOnline: ‘Dorset Police received a report at 4.32pm on Wednesday 31 May 2023 from the ambulance service requesting assistance on the beach off Bournemouth Pier.

‘Officers are currently in attendance clearing the area to assist HM Coastguard and the ambulance service, who are dealing with the incident.’

A Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service spokesperson said: ‘We were called to East Beach, Bournemouth at 4.39pm to support a multi-agency incident.

‘We have crews in attendance from Westbourne and Springbourne, together with a technical rescue team from Poole.’

Bus routes that would normally serve the Pier stops have been diverted through the square. 

Routes including 13, 33, 70 and 80 will be on diversion while the incident is dealt with.