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| Search for teenager last seen in sea off Whitmore Bay, Barry Island | Search for teenager last seen in sea off Whitmore Bay, Barry Island |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A search is under way for a missing 14-year-old girl, last seen in difficulty in the sea off Barry Island, Vale of Glamorgan. | A search is under way for a missing 14-year-old girl, last seen in difficulty in the sea off Barry Island, Vale of Glamorgan. |
| Police and coastguards are searching the area around Whitmore Bay after receiving reports of her disappearance shortly after 15:45 BST on Sunday. | |
| The girl, who is with her family on holiday, was last seen wearing a multi-coloured dress. | |
| Three lifeboats and a helicopter have been involved. | |
| She is 5ft 7ins (1.7m) tall, average build with long black hair. | She is 5ft 7ins (1.7m) tall, average build with long black hair. |
| A South Wales Police spokesman said: "At 15:46 on Sunday 7 July, South Wales Police received a report of concern for a 14 year old female last seen in difficulty in the sea at Whitmore Bay, Barry Island, south Wales." | A South Wales Police spokesman said: "At 15:46 on Sunday 7 July, South Wales Police received a report of concern for a 14 year old female last seen in difficulty in the sea at Whitmore Bay, Barry Island, south Wales." |
| Inspector Bob Nicholls of South Wales Police said the teenager was in the water with friends when she got into difficulty. | |
| "She was in the water with friends," he said. | |
| "We believe she has got into some difficulty and we are looking for her at the moment. | |
| "The coastguard has got three boats launched, South Wales Police helicopter and the search and rescue helicopter have been deployed. | |
| "Numerous resources on foot have been deployed for the search." | |
| Insp Nicholls added: "She was on holiday in the area. Her parents are aware and with officers at the moment." | |
| Barry coastguard team, the Barry Dock all-weather lifeboat, two inshore lifeboats from Penarth, police, lifeguards and a coastguard helicopter from Portland are involved in a land and sea search. | |
| Coastguards believe the girl could have been in difficulty in the water for up to an hour before the situation was reported to them. | |
| Steve Jones, rescue centre manager for HM Coastguard Swansea said: "The incident was reported to us at 15.54 but we believe she could have been in trouble in the water up to an hour before then. | |
| 'Pocket shape' | |
| "We had a report that a fisherman saw her. | |
| "We are dumbfounded that something wasn't said to us earlier and are investigating but our main priority is the search, which is massive." | |
| Local councillor Steffan Wiliam, who lives on Barry Island, said he was "very concerned" to hear the news. | |
| "Our stretch of coast has the world's second highest tidal range, second only to the Bay of Fundy," he said. | |
| "The main issue is that Whitmore Bay is a pocket shape. You have to be careful but it is generally very safe, particularly now we have lifeguards. | |
| "If you swim between the two strips of flags you should be fine. You always have to be sensible on the beaches here." | |
| The force said anyone with information should contact 101. | The force said anyone with information should contact 101. |