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| Sea search for Brighton woman is called off | Sea search for Brighton woman is called off |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The search for a woman believed to have been swept out to sea at Brighton has been called off. | |
| Coastguards said it was thought a couple entered the sea after a night out and the woman was swept away. | |
| Rescue teams were scrambled overnight but waves of up to 3m in height made it impossible, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said. | |
| Conditions during an early daylight sweep on Saturday proved to be so poor it had to be cancelled. | Conditions during an early daylight sweep on Saturday proved to be so poor it had to be cancelled. |
| Helicopter search | Helicopter search |
| Solent Coastguard watch manager Paul Marlow said: "We believe that a couple went in to the sea after a night out on the town. | Solent Coastguard watch manager Paul Marlow said: "We believe that a couple went in to the sea after a night out on the town. |
| "One managed to get back out of the rough sea but sadly the other was swept away. | "One managed to get back out of the rough sea but sadly the other was swept away. |
| "Gale force wind, rough seas and darkness make it difficult to spot a person in the water who needs help and so our request is simple - please don't end your night out with a dip." | "Gale force wind, rough seas and darkness make it difficult to spot a person in the water who needs help and so our request is simple - please don't end your night out with a dip." |
| Coastguard, lifeboat and police teams worked to rescue the woman and a helicopter was scrambled after the alert was raised just before 02:25 GMT. | Coastguard, lifeboat and police teams worked to rescue the woman and a helicopter was scrambled after the alert was raised just before 02:25 GMT. |
| People at the scene tried to reach her after she went in the sea opposite the Digital Club, west of Palace Pier. | People at the scene tried to reach her after she went in the sea opposite the Digital Club, west of Palace Pier. |
| Sussex Police said that by 04:40 GMT no body or person had been recovered. | Sussex Police said that by 04:40 GMT no body or person had been recovered. |
| Searches continued in daylight but rescuers failed to find the woman, coastguards said. | Searches continued in daylight but rescuers failed to find the woman, coastguards said. |
| A MCA spokeswoman said Solent Coastguard stood down the search and rescue mission at about 09:00 GMT after an exhaustive search. | |
| A coastguard spokesman said: "We conducted a thorough search of the area and nothing was found. The conditions down there are appalling. It's force eight with severe gale warnings. | |
| "It's been left in the hands of the police." |