LONDON (AP) — British police say five men have drowned off a beach in southern England that had no lifeguard.

Authorities are trying to piece together what happened to the group who traveled together from London to Camber Sands beach on Wednesday.

Chief Superintendent Di Roskilly says this "has been an incredibly tragic incident." Authorities say that rip-tides take place off the beach and that swimmers can get into trouble easily if they are not familiar with the sea and the dangers it can pose.

Last month, 19-year-old Brazilian Gustavo Silva Da Cruz died after getting into difficulty while swimming at Camber Sands, known for its sand dunes. The beach is around 80 miles (130 kilometers) southeast of London.

A dozen people have died in water-related accidents off British coastlines in recent days.