🚨 DISTURBING SCENE: Man seen standing alarmingly close to towering freezing waves in Whitby Harbour — timing has left viewers stunned
A picture shows the moment a man diced with death close to huge freezing waves in Whitby harbour – just 24 hours after a tragedy at Withernsea saw two people die, with a third still missing in the water.
A shocking photo shows a person donning a hooded green parker coat while perilously edging closer along the lifeboat and yacht ramp to the foaming water below.
The image shows 15ft waves crashing into the harbour wall in the distance while the person inches closer to the water, treading carefully down a slippery ramp.
Images were taken from screen grabs of live CCTV footage from Whitby Yacht Club.
Despite some residents claiming the footage is AI, the poster quickly corrected them right with a link to the stream showing the footage is real.
One comment read: ‘Two have died and one missing in Withernsea – and people still do this?’
A third said: ‘And someone will be expected to save them from their own stupidity.’
Another said: ‘Madness. I’ve been watching them on the live stream.. Pretty dangerous where they are.’
A fourth wrote: ‘Have they learnt nothing from what happened in Withernsea and how it affects the rescue services. Stupid, dangerous and selfish. Respect the sea.’
It comes after emergency services were called to Withernsea – around 70 miles south of Whitby – on Friday afternoon following a ‘number of people in difficulty in the water’.
A shocking photo shows a person donning a hooded green parker coat while perilously edging closer along the lifeboat and yacht ramp to the foaming water below
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Emergency services were called to Withernsea following a ‘number of people in difficulty in the water’ on Friday afternoon
HM Coastguard said searches were stood down at around 12.30am Saturday and resumed at 6.30am
Two bodies have been pulled out of the freezing water by search and rescue teams with one person still unaccounted for.
Searches were launched at 3.12pm on Friday, January 2, after a girl was swept away by a wave into the freezing cold water.
The body of a 67-year-old man was located before a second body was tragically discovered.
Extensive searches took place throughout Saturday and stood down on Saturday evening, with the search for the third body resuming on Sunday morning.
Searches for a third person resumed this morning after two bodies were pulled from the sea off the East Yorkshire coast.
Witnesses claim a teenage girl was caught by a large wave, near Pier Towers, before she was overwhelmed by the sea, sparking scenes of panic as people tried to rescue her.
The major rescue mission involved more than 100 members of the emergency services.
On Friday night, a spokesperson for Humberside Police said: ‘During the initial searches, emergency services recovered an unconscious man from the water.
‘Despite the best efforts we can confirm a 67-year-old man died a short time later at the scene.
‘The circumstances around his death are not thought to be suspicious. Searches are still ongoing.
‘Residents will continue to see an increased police presence in and around the area as the search continues.
‘We would ask people to please avoid the area to allow emergency services to work efficiently and safely.’
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HM Coastguard, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, Humberside Police, and Humberside Fire and Rescue all scrambled crews to Withernsea at around 3.15pm to try and rescue those in the freezing sea
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Emergency services seen on the beach at Withernsea following the tragic deaths of two people in the sea, with one still missing
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The HM Coastguard helicopter hovers above the sea as part of the rescue operation
They later added: ‘We can now confirm that earlier this evening (Friday, 2 January 2026) a second body was recovered from the sea.
‘The circumstances are not believed to be suspicious.
‘Humberside Police officers along with HM Coastguard, Yorkshire Ambulance Service and Humberside Fire & Rescue, remain in the area as searches continue for one more person who entered the water this afternoon.’
The Coastguard said in an earlier statement: ‘HM Coastguard is responding to reports made at about 3.10pm on January 2 of a number of people in difficulty in the water at Withernsea.
‘An HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft have been sent as well as Coastguard Rescue Teams from Withernsea, Hornsea and Hull.
‘The RNLI’s inshore lifeboat from Withernsea and all-weather lifeboat from Bridlington are assisting, as well as Hornsea Inshore Rescue.
‘Yorkshire Ambulance Service has been sent as well as an air ambulance. Humberside Police and Humberside Fire and Rescue are also in attendance.’
