A MAN has died after going into the sea off Chesil Beach.

A major operation was launched involving multiple rescue resources after concerns were raised for a man in the water in the Abbotsbury/West Bexington area on Easter Monday.

The man, aged in his 40s and from the Dorchester area, was recovered from the sea but police said he was sadly pronounced dead.

Bournemouth Echo: Coastguard helicopter and the air ambulance at the Dorchester landing site Picture: Mark AdamsCoastguard helicopter and the air ambulance at the Dorchester landing site Picture: Mark Adams

It is the second tragedy on the west Dorset coast in a week - last Monday a man died after going into the sea at West Bay.

Rescue helicopters, coastguard teams, a lifeboat, police and paramedics were all involved in the operation on Easter Monday.

The man was flown to the landing site at Dorchester before being taken to Dorset County Hospital.

A spokesman for Dorset Police said: "We received a report at 10.50am on Monday 18 April reporting a sighting of a person unresponsive in the water off Chesil Beach near Abbotsbury.

"Officers attended and with assistance from the coastguard they were recovered from the water.

"Very sadly the man, aged in his 40s and from the Dorchester area, was pronounced dead at the scene.

"The death is not being treated as suspicious and his next of kin has been informed. Our thoughts are with the man’s family at this time.

"HM Coroner has been notified."

A spokeswoman from HM Coastguard said: "Around 10:55am on Monday, April 18, HM Coastguard received a call from Dorset Police reporting a person in the water at Chesil Beach.

"The coastguard rescue helicopter from Lee-on-Solent was sent, as well as coastguard rescue teams from West Bay and Wyke and the RNLI lifeboat from Lyme Regis.

"The person was taken by helicopter to Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester."

A spokeswoman from the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) said: "We were called to an incident off Chesil Beach at 10.59am on Monday, as part of a multi-agency response.

"We sent a double-crewed ambulance and were later stood down because HM Coastguard took the lead in responding."

A spokesman from Lyme Regis RNLI, said: "The lifeboat launched to a person in the water near West Bexington but the coastguard helicopter arrived just before the lifeboat and they winched the man to the helicopter and took him to hospital."