A 55-year-old man has died and two children have been rescued after getting dragged out to sea by a devastating rip current.
The victim was seen swimming with a teenage boy and a girl off the North Yorkshire coast at around 2pm on Thursday.
According to rescuers, all three were swept out by a rip, classified as strong currents of water that move directly away from the shore.
The youngsters were rescued by members of the public while the man was pulled from the water by the RNLI.
The man - not yet named - was pronounced dead despite every attempt to save his life.
The Yorkshire Air Ambulance and a Coastguard helicopter also attended the scene, at Reighton Gap near Filey.
Another tragedy occurred in North Yorkshire just a few hours later, when a 19-year-old man got into difficulty while swimming in the River Wharfe at about 7.45pm.
Emergency service personnel rushed to the scene but the man was sadly pronounced dead by paramedics.
A total of six people have now died in the water in Yorkshire within the past week amid a nationwide heatwave, while the number of deaths nationwide approaches 20.
The man becomes the tenth person to lose their life in just over a week after getting into difficulty in the sea.
John Ward from Filey RNLI said: "Just before 2pm, Humber Coastguard requested the immediate launch of Filey lifeboat following multiple 999 calls that three persons were in great difficulties in the sea off Reighton Gap, some four miles south of Filey.
"As there was already an Atlantic 85 crew at the boathouse preparing to launch on exercise, it was decided to send that boat (relief Atlantic 85 'Pride of Fred Olsen') with Neil Cammish, Fraser Haddington, Sarah Scrivener and Rhys Colling as crew.
"In view of the nature of the call, the A85 was rapidly launched and with its top speed of over 35 knots, the crew were on scene very quickly.
"A crew member entered the water to assist a man in difficulties whilst the other two persons appeared to have made it safely to shore.
"As the man’s condition was so serious, it was decided to transfer the casualty to Coble Landing in Filey at top speed by boat to the waiting paramedics who were attending along with both a Coastguard helicopter and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
“The lifeboat crews quickly launched the Atlantic 85 lifeboat and were able to take advantage of its top speed to reach the casualties so quickly. It has been a harrowing experience for everyone and we thank all our volunteers who attended as well as the Coastguard teams, police, paramedics and air crews.”
The tragedy comes after a plea for people to take care in the water was been issued by the Coastguard.
The warning has been handed as schools begin to break up for summer, with another heatwave expected to hit the UK next month.
Beach-goers have been urged to study tide times before any visit.
A spokeswoman said: “Coastguards across the UK have issued a stark warning to take care at the coast or risk tragic consequences.
“In the past 10 days, HM Coastguard recorded that nine people have sadly died while visiting the beach or coast.
“Each death represents a wide-scale tragedy for the families and friends of those who have died. Others have faced life-changing injuries.”
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