Body of missing British swimmer, 19, found at sea Tuesday night

A body found in the sea off the coast of The Hague on Tuesday evening is that of a 19-year-old British woman who was reported missing over the weekend, the police reported on X. She disappeared while swimming on Sunday evening in the North Sea near the Zuidelijk Havenhoofd, a pier forming part of the harbor separating Scheveningen and Kijkduin Beaches.

The British woman's body was found near the same pier where she went missing on Sunday. She was one of four swimmers who found themselves in trouble at about 8:30 p.m. when the sea conditions were fierce. All four were identified as being from the United Kingdom, and police said they were all about the same age.

Three people were saved, but the woman was unable to be reached by the others in her group or rescuers who arrived at the scene. A witness told Omroep West that two of the swimmers were men who had tried in vain to rescue the woman. They were both injured when they were removed from the water.

“They both had legs covered in blood. There was also a mother there who was panicking and screaming," the witness stated. The two had almost no chance to even get near the woman to attempt a rescue.

"The water was so wild, really impassable. Those boys barely survived."

Rescue workers at sea, along the shore, and in helicopters and airplanes above remained at the location for several hours until their mission was suspended due to darkness. They returned on Monday, when they indicated it was unlikely the victim was still alive. Instead, they were more focused on recovering the her body.