The bodies of three women have been recovered from the sea in Brighton.
Sussex Police was called at around 5.45am today following concerns for the welfare of the trio.
Their bodies were later discovered in the water near Madeira Drive.
The force said it is making 'fast-moving' enquiries to confirm the identities of the women and to discover what happened.
Officers are currently standing guard by a cordon on section of the seafront near a car park, where a large number of patrol cars and a police van are parked.
Chief Superintendent Adam Hays said: 'This is a tragic incident and fast-moving enquiries are ongoing to confirm the identities of these three women and understand exactly what has happened.
Police officers and patrol cars in Madeira Drive, Brighton, after the bodies of three women were pulled from the water
RNLI crews from Brighton Lifeboat and Shoreham All-weather were also involved in the search
An HM Coastguard helicopter was seen hovering above the water earlier this morning
'I know this is concerning for the community, but I would ask the public to stay away from the scene at this time while emergency services continue their work.
'We will provide further updates as soon as they are available.'
An HM Coastguard helicopter was seen hovering above the water earlier this morning.
RNLI crews from Brighton Lifeboat and Shoreham All-weather were also involved in the search after they were launched at around 6am.
The lifeboats have since been stood down.