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A woman in her 60s has died and two others were taken to hospital after getting into difficulty in the water at a popular beach in Northern Ireland.
The incident took place at Helen's Bay in County Down, Northern Ireland, on Saturday at around 1pm.
Three people were rescued from the water by the coastguard and received first aid at the beach.
Emergency services rushed to the scene and took the trio to hospital, where the woman tragically died despite the best efforts of medical teams.
Her death is not being treated as suspicious, police have confirmed.
North Down MP Alex Easton praised the public and emergency teams who helped with the rescue effort.
He said: 'My thoughts and prayers are with her family and loved ones at this incredibly difficult time.
'I know the wider community will also be shocked by this very sad news.
A woman in her 60s has died and two others have been taken to hospital after getting into difficulty in the water at Helen's Bay (pictured) in County Down, Northern Ireland
Three people were rescued from the water by the coastguard at around 1pm on Saturday
'Helen's Bay is a place many families cherish, which makes this loss all the more heartbreaking.
'This tragic incident is a reminder of how quickly emergencies can arise around our coastline.
'I encourage everyone to take care when visiting our beaches.'
Two ambulance crews, a rapid response paramedic and a Hazardous Area Response Team attended the scene, while a critical care paramedic and an ambulance officer were also dispatched.
Having received treatment, two patients were taken to the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald.
The third patient was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.
A police spokesperson said: 'Police can confirm a woman, aged in her 60s has died following a report of a concern for safety in the Helens Bay area.
'Police received a report that the Coastguard had removed three people from the water.
'One woman was taken to hospital where sadly she has since died. Her death is not being treated as suspicious.'
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