Five men in their late teens and early 20s have been pulled from the sea at Camber Sands, in East Sussex.
The RNLI have said the men got into trouble after failing to realise how quickly the tide would come in.
The RNLI said it did not believe that rip currents were responsible for the men's death.The men, who were from the Greater London area, are thought to have been on a day trip when the incident happened.
Three of the men’s bodies were pulled from the water yesterday afternoon, and two more were found later in the evening.
Emergency services were called to the beach at 2.10pm after reports of a person in the sea.
While they were on scene another person was seen in difficulty at 2.20pm and 15 minutes later a third person was rescued.
All five men, despite the efforts to save them, died at the scene.
Chief Superintendent Di Roskilly, Sussex Police said: "This has been an incredibly tragic incident and we are offering their next of kin support at this difficult time and our thoughts are with them.
"We have no further reports of anyone else missing from Camber and there are no on-going searches related to this incident.”
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has urged people to stay safe when visiting the seaside and frequent lifeguarded beaches, following yesterday’s tragic events.
David Walker, RoSPA’s Leisure Safety Manager, said: “We are terribly sorry to hear of the tragedy at Camber Sands, and our thoughts are with those involved and their families. It’s too early in the investigation for us to comment on what happened, but we can point people towards our general water safety advice, particularly ahead of the bank holiday weekend.
“Be aware of tides, even if you are not intending to be in the water, as a quick-turning tide can catch out walkers, climbers, and others enjoying the shore. Strong currents are a danger, so make sure you know how to spot rip currents and know how to escape them.
“Bear in mind that the water can be colder than you expect, even in the summer months, and can lead even the strongest swimmers into trouble at any location.”
The RNLI have urged people planning on getting in the water this bank holiday weekend to only visit beaches with lifeguards.
