An inquest has confirmed that police are not treating the deaths of three sisters found in the sea off Brighton as suspicious, with senior officials stating there is no evidence of third party involvement in the tragedy.

The hearing, held at Brighton and Hove Coroner’s Court, examined the deaths of Jane Adetoro, 36, Christina Walters, 32, and Rebecca Walters, 31, who were recovered from the water on 13 May after emergency services were called to the seafront in the early hours following concerns for a person’s welfare.

The court heard that all three women were pronounced dead at the scene after being recovered from the sea near Madeira Drive. Post-mortem examinations have so far been unable to determine a cause of death, with medical investigations still ongoing. Officials told the inquest that inquiries continue into how the sisters came to be in the water.

Senior coroner Penelope Schofield said the evidence available at this stage had not identified any involvement from anyone else, and police have maintained there is no indication of criminality. The inquest was told that further analysis is required before a final conclusion can be reached.

The sisters’ father, Joseph Jacobson, attended the hearing remotely as proceedings opened. He was offered condolences by the coroner, who acknowledged the scale of the family’s loss and the distress surrounding the case.

Emergency responders, including RNLI crews, were involved in recovering the sisters. Two of the women were brought ashore by lifeboat teams, while one was found washed up on the beach. All were declared deceased shortly afterwards.

Police have reviewed CCTV footage and continue to carry out wider inquiries to establish the sisters’ movements before their deaths, but officials reiterated that there is currently no evidence suggesting anyone else was involved.

As the inquest progresses, the coroner indicated it is expected to provide further clarity on the circumstances surrounding the tragedy, with a full hearing scheduled for later this year.

Social media discussion around the case has been widespread, with users sharing theories and reactions online:

“So they all just decided to die together?? Something ain’t right here..”

“Confirmed so shortly after? And the fact that the mother also passed in a similar way> Guys, what is going on… I’m so confused.”

“Not everything is about race, but in these circumstances it is. This was the quickest investigation ever but yet they’re still looking for Maddie though.”

However, others urged caution against speculation:

“The mother died from suicide and the daughters followed her. It is sad but there is no conspiracy and if there is a conspiracy, please let me hear it because people who are just saying conspiracy with no theories sound crazy.”

The inquest continues as investigators work to establish the full circumstances behind the deaths, while authorities maintain that, at this stage, there is no evidence of third party involvement.