Woman dies after being swept into ocean from Sydney beach in early hours of New Year’s Day | Australia news
A woman was found dead after being swept into the ocean from a Sydney beach in the early hours of New Year’s Day, as authorities warned about dangerous surf conditions off the NSW coast.
Later in the morning another swimmer became lost in the water at Coogee.
Emergency services were called to Sydney’s Maroubra Beach at around 4am on Thursday following reports a person had been washed into the ocean.
NSW police were told the 25-year-old woman was struck by a wave, knocking her into a tidal rock pool, before further waves swept her out to sea.
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Police, including the air wing and NSW Ambulance, launched a search and found the body of a woman around 5am.
Official identification has not yet been completed, but the body is believed to be that of the missing woman, police said Thursday morning.
The search was on for another swimmer believed to have gone missing in the water at Coogee on Thursday morning.
Emergency services were called to Coogee Beach just after 6am on Thursday to reports of a man believed to be in his 20s in trouble in the water.
Surf Lifesaving Australia NSW duty officer Ben Heenan said the four men decided to go swimming at the beach in the morning.
“They were swept into a huge crevasse by the big wave and they were swept off their feet,” Heenan said. “They attempted to get back to shore and needed assistance. An off-duty police officer and two off-duty surf lifeguards arrived and provided assistance.
“Three managed to reach shore. Unfortunately, one could not return. We immediately started searching.”
Police, ambulance, surf lifeguards and municipal officials participated in the search efforts.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a hazardous surf warning for much of the NSW coast from Byron to the Illawarra.
Surf and wave conditions are expected to be hazardous for coastal activities such as rock fishing, boating and swimming on Thursday, the BoM said.
Police marine area command said people should consider staying out of water and avoid walking near areas exposed to waves.
“Rock anglers should avoid coastal rock platforms exposed to the ocean and seek a safe location protected from the surf,” a warning note said.
“Boaters planning to cross shallow waters and ocean bars should consider modifying or postponing their trip. Boaters already in the water should carry appropriate safety equipment and wear a life jacket.”
A Westpac rescue helicopter was sent to Avoca beach on the NSW Central Coast to rescue a middle-aged man who was pulled unconscious from the water at 6.45pm on New Year’s Eve.
He was treated at the scene by a paramedic and a doctor from the helicopter’s intensive care medical team before being transported to the Royal North Shore Hospital in a serious condition.
The incidents follow the death of a Sydney man after a boat capsized in Palm Beach on New Year’s Eve.
The ship was carrying two men and a 14-year-old boy when it capsized in difficult conditions around Barrenjoey Point at around 11.35am.
One man was pulled from the water by surf lifeguards and treated by paramedics, but died at the scene.
A second man managed to climb nearby rocks before being pulled to safety by a rescue helicopter and taken to hospital.
The search for the missing child is expected to continue on New Year’s Eve.
Surf Lifesaving NSW CEO Steven Pearce said the last 24 hours had been a “very scary time for drownings” for NSW.
“This is in addition to the multiple mass rescue operations that lifeguards and lifeguards carried out yesterday along the NSW coast,” Pearce told 2GB radio on Thursday morning.
“I would be very surprised if a beach was open in Sydney today due to surf. We would ask people to follow the instructions of the lifeguards and lifeguards on duty today. These are dangerous conditions today.”
