A British teenager is missing after disappearing during a swim off a Dutch beach with a group of her friends.

A large-scale search and rescue operation was launched after the four friends – all of whom were from the UK – got into difficulties in the seaside resort of Scheveningen, The Hague, on 25 August.

Three of the swimmers were rescued and taken to hospital, but one teenage girl, who is reported to be 19 years old, was not found.

The Hague’s fire department said the group were near to the Zuidelijk Havenhoofd, a green lighthouse and popular tourist attraction on the southern pier.

Images from the scene showed a rescue helicopter, boat and what appeared to be diggers being used in the search, which was suspended on Sunday night due to it getting too dark.

On Monday morning, the search was scaled down but still included an aeroplane and jet skis, according to local media.

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Police in the Netherlands told Sky News on Tuesday the search and rescue operation is now a missing person’s investigation.

It said it is still searching for the teenager, but “different special forces” are not involved.

A spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office said: “We were in contact with the family of a British woman who is missing in the Netherlands and are in contact with the local authorities.”

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