School trip tragedy as teenage boy drowns at popular celebrity hot spot

A school trip has reportedly ended in tragedy after a teenage pupil drowned on the Sussex Coast.

The 17-year old boy, who has yet to be named, was understood to be among a group of 50 pupils on a trip to West Wittering, a popular celebrity hotspot.

Emergency services were scrambled to the area after reports that a teenager had got into difficulty at around 1pm on Tuesday.

He was pulled from the water and rushed to hospital by airlift as other children looked on, visibly distressed, reports the Mirror.

An ambulance spokesman confirmed the boy was flown directly to hospital by the Coast Guard.

A spokesman for Sussex Police said in a statement that he was confirmed dead after arriving at the hospital.

They said: "Emergency services and HM Coastguard were called to concerns for a boy's welfare in the sea off West Wittering beach at around 1pm on Tuesday, July 2. A 17-year-old boy was airlifted to hospital, where he was sadly confirmed deceased.

"His next of kin have been informed. An investigation is underway to understand the full circumstances of the incident."

The Met Police said they had informed the teen's parents of his death on Tuesday afternoon.

The hugely popular West Wittering beach is visited by up to a million people every year, according to the local tourist board.

It is estimated that up to 190 people require lifeguard assistance via rescue board of jet ski rescue each year.

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