Father and daughter who drowned off coast of UK's top surfing beach are among seven to die in open water over the weekend

Published: 21:42, 27 July 2026 | Updated: 21:45, 27 July 2026 A father and daughter who died off the coast of Britain's top surfing beach were among seven to drown in open water over the weekend.   The man, in his 60s, and the woman, in her 30s, who died at a surfing spot off Newquay, were among those who lost their lives in separate incidents at West Wittering, Pwllheli and Loch Fyne. Two in Cornwall, one in West Sussex, two in north Wales and another two died in Scotland on Saturday and Sunday.  That brings the total number of deaths in open water to seven this past weekend.  The latest deaths mean that more than 40 people have drowned in open water across the UK since May – a period of successive hot weather.  In Cornwall last night, emergency services, including the coastguard, rushed to the scene at around 9.30pm after reports that two people had fallen into the water near a rocky area of the beach. The two were pronounced dead at the scene. He was pulled from the water and she was recovered on the sand.  The sea was said to be very rough last night, with strong winds causing large waves to crash against the rocks at the beach, famed for its powerful Atlantic swells.  Coastguard at the scene at Fistral last night after a father and daughter died in the water Coastguards and paramedics were pictured on the beach at West Wittering on Sunday afternoon where two more people died Connor Parfitt's body was also found on a beach in Aberystwyth on Sunday afternoon In West Wittering in West Sussex a man died after he got into trouble in the sea.  Emergency services rushed to West Wittering Beach in West Sussex at 2.30pm on Sunday following concerns for the safety of two adults in the water.  The two men were pulled out of the sea and treated by paramedics – but one was pronounced dead at the scene.  The other man was taken to hospital as a precautionary measure. The pair are not believed to have known each other.  In a statement, Sussex Police said: 'Emergency services were called to the beach near the Beach Café, Pound Road, West Wittering, around 2.30pm on Sunday, 26 July, after two adults got into difficulty in the water. 'Both were pulled from the sea and received treatment from emergency services at the scene. 'Sadly, one of the men was pronounced dead at the scene.' The deaths come after another sunny weekend in Britain.  The temperature in West Wittering reached highs of 26.5C in the afternoon. In Newquay, a maximum temperature of 20.2C was recorded by the Met Office.  A helicopter swoops in to help with the rescue in Cornwall at around 9.30pm Coastguard and locals in the sea as they try to save the man and woman in the water at Fistral last night but both died. It is claimed they may have been a father and daughter who fell from rocks into the sea while on holiday In Wales, one of two friends was found dead after the pair took inflatable kayaks to the beach. The second person is still missing.  Connor Parfitt, 24, and friend Simon Wilson were last seen Tuesday evening close to a Haven Holiday Park where they had started working the summer season. A massive search was launched but Mr Parfitt's body was found on a beach in Aberystwyth on Sunday afternoon.  Coastguards have called off their search off the coast of Pwllheli, North Wales.  Mr Parfitt travelled to the popular Welsh park from his home in Blackpool three weeks ago to work over the summer.  He took an inflatable kayak to the beach with his friend - but neither had been seen since despite a massive search.  The pair were believed to be heading towards the coast with inflatable kayaks at the beach near Hafan-y-Mor, Pwllheli, North Wales.  Mr Parfitt's brother, Aaron, said the family last heard from him at around 6.30pm on Tuesday and have had no contact since.  He said his family were facing 'so many questions and no answers'.    Connor Parfitt, 24, and friend Simon Wilson were last seen Tuesday evening in Pwllheli, North Wales Simon Wilson is still missing after he and Connor Parfitt took out inflatable kayaks to the beach  Meanwhile, two women in Scotland died this weekend after they entered Loch Fyne. There were reports of divers in difficulty at the loch in Argyll and Bute. A 26-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene on Sunday afternoon while the body of a 24-year-old was also recovered.  The alarm was raised at about 3.30pm, with the Coastguard and lifeboat crews involved in the rescue operation.  A Police Scotland spokesperson said: 'Emergency services attended and a 26-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene. 'Further searches were carried out in the water and the body of a 24-year-old woman was recovered. 'The deaths are being treated as unexplained and a post-mortem examination will take place in due course.' Another heatwave is set to hit parts of southern England this week as temperatures could hit as high as 33C.  In Cornwall, onlookers told of the moment emergency services were called after the father and daughter got into difficulty swimming.  Meanwhile, two women in Scotland died this weekend after they entered Loch Fyne A man and woman have died after being pulled from the sea at Fistral beach, Newquay, the Uk's best known surfing beach Sand Phoenix said he was sleeping on Fistral Beach at 9.30pm on Sunday when the coastguard and ambulance service were called. He sprinted to help with the search.  Sand claimed the male victim was fully clothed and had 'gone in to try and rescue his daughter', adding: 'He had been pulled from the water but had been submerged for about seven minutes. 'I had an adrenaline pen, which I used on him, and tried to give him oxygen, but his lungs were full of water and there was no response,' he said. 'The paramedics arrived and carried on performing CPR. He was still wearing his trousers, so I don't think he had been swimming. It looks like they had been walking near the rocks and fallen in.'  Another witness said: 'Another man came up soaking wet and wrapped in a foil blanket. He knew them and had been trying to help. I'm just in shock. It was awful to watch. 'A man came running up the cliff saying there were people drowning in the water. A woman was desperately trying to ring someone but couldn't get through and was in tears. 'They recovered one body on the beach, while the other was brought up the cliff.' Nine emergency vehicles and a helicopter rushed to the long and sandy Cornish beach, known as the 'home of British surfing'.  Holidaymaker Glyn Thomas, 68, who witnessed the rescue efforts said: 'I could hear the helicopter flying low overhead and there were three or four ambulances parked up along the road. 'We saw a couple of surfers being led into the back of an ambulance in silver foil blankets and paramedics doing CPR on somebody. 'It was still light when it happened and there had been a few surfers around and people walking over the rocks.' Locals said the beach was battered by high winds and choppy conditions yesterday evening with visitors often caught out by rip tides and unpredictable currents on the beach. Barrie Phillips who runs the Pink Flamingo Ice Cream van said: 'I was told one went in after another, people often fish on those rocks and you also get people jumping into the water. 'But the surf last night was so volatile with high winds and rough seas. 'Fistral is infamous for its rip tides and people do get into trouble.' A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police said: 'Police were called by the South Western Ambulance Service at around 9.45pm on Sunday 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.' Fistral Beach is famed for its world-class surfing and hosts competitions including the Boardmasters Open Surf Championship. The beach is also a major tourist attraction, drawing an estimated 750,000 to over one million visitors each year.