RESCUERS are baffled after a mystery woman was seen wading into a freezing sea at 3am on Christmas Eve – and then vanished.
Coastguard officers said they believed the woman, who was spotted by a bystander, entered the water near Sandown Pier on the Isle of Wight.
An extensive manhunt, including a helicopter, two lifeboat crews and land search teams were scrambled to comb the pier and surrounding areas.
But the search was called off at midday on Sunday after no trace of a person had been found.
Baffled police and coastguard officers admitted no one had so far been reported missing as the mystery continues.
A spokesman from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: “There was a person who entered the water near Sandown Pier in Sandown on the Isle of Wight at 3am on Sunday morning. Quite a long search went on throughout the night.
