A woman in her 50s lost her life after a wave pulled her into the sea while she was walking her dog on a coastal path.
Police, paramedics and Coastguard Rescue Teams, supported by a lifeboat and a helicopter, launched a major emergency response after concerns about her safety.
She was on the promenade between Sandown and Shanklin on the Isle of Wight at about 11.15am on Monday when the incident occurred.
It is thought a sudden wave during yesterday's severe conditions swept her away.
Coastguard Rescue Helicopter 375 was deployed from Lee-on-Solent in Hampshire to conduct an aerial sweep of the waters off Sandown and Lake, while Bembridge RNLI's All Weather Lifeboat also joined the effort.
Police blocked the revetment and set up a cordon at the end of Sandown Esplanade to keep the public away from the coastal walkway.
The woman's body was retrieved south of Sandown Pier shortly after noon following the extensive search and rescue operation.
Her next of kin have been informed and a coroner's file will now be prepared.
The UK endured stormy weather over the weekend, and conditions remained hazardous the next day.
The Isle of Wight Council issued a coastal safety warning on the afternoon of the incident, urging residents and visitors to take extreme care around beaches, sea walls and exposed coastal routes.
