Two British women missing off Costa Brava after going for early morning swim in stormy seas

Two British women have disappeared while swimming off Spain's Costa Brava in the early hours of this morning, sparking a huge sea and air search operation.

The pair, aged 33 and 36, ignored warnings not to visit beaches on the coast because of strong winds and storms.
The alarm was raised by their three female friends when the two women failed to come out of the water at the Lloret de Mar resort at 4am.
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"We sent out a rescue boat and scrambled two helicopters to the area to look for the two British women," a spokesman from the Salvamento Marítimo - maritime search and rescue service - told The Local.
"It was very bad weather, the waves were big and the currents were powerful," he said.
"We don’t know the circumstances of why these two decided to go for a swim except that they were with a group of other women who raised the alarm when they failed to come out of the water."

A spokeswoman for the Catalan regional Mossos d'Esquadra police force said today: "Conditions yesterday were bad throughout the day. The waves were so strong that the fire brigade could not use their launch when the alarm was raised after these women disappeared.
"It is still rough now, but is much better than it was yesterday and during the night. There is now a major search going on involving ourselves, the local police in Lloret, the fire service and Civil Protection personnel. The Maritime Rescue Service have vessels searching and there are also two helicopters involved."
The officer said she did not have any personal details about the missing women.