A man’s body has been found after a 21-year-old went missing in the sea, near Clacton Pier.
One man remained unaccounted for after five people were rescued from the water near the pier on Tuesday.
The search for the 21-year-old was scaled down on Wednesday, after involving helicopters and several coastguard boats.
A spokesperson on Essex Police said on Saturday: “Emergency services involved in the search for a man who was last seen in the water close to Clacton Pier have this AM located a body of a man in Jaywick.
“Formal ID has not yet taken place. We’re liaising with international partners to contact the family of the 21-year-old.”
East of England Ambulance Service (EEAS) had said four males and a female were taken ashore and assessed before being taken to Colchester Hospital.
Nigel Brown, communications manager for Clacton Pier, said the current appeared to have “dragged” a group under the pier.
Staff threw lifebelt rings over the side to help some of those in trouble, he said.
Footage taken by beach-goers from the shore captured the rescue operation about 100 yards from the pier.
Shop worker Toni Cloke, who had spent the day at the seafront, said police asked beachgoers to clear the beach as emergency services took a number of people away.
The 47-year-old, of Clacton-on-Sea, said: “I saw four or five people get taken in (by emergency services) then we got asked to clear the beach.
“I would say they were holidaymakers.”
It comes as the UK experienced the hottest day on record on Tuesday, with temperatures exceeding 40C in some parts of Britain.
The scorching heatwave this week resulted in several tragic open water swimming deaths.
While Britain is set to experience another spell of hot weather this weekend, emergency services have continued to advise the public to be vigilant and not to take risks with open water.
